The Missouri House has passed a plan to make the Capitol safer for those who work and visit it.

One provision of House Bill 784 would allow the Speaker of the House and the Senate President Pro Tem to appoint marshals in their respective chambers. These marshals would have at least five years of experience in law enforcement, be licensed as a peace officer, and have to have continued training as required by the Missouri Peace Officer Standards and Training commission.
Bill sponsor Lane Roberts (R-Joplin), a former Joplin Police chief and former director of the Department of Public Safety, said the agencies responsible for Capitol security are “fragmented” and the legislature needs a security force that falls under its control.

Another provision would move control of the Capitol Police out of the Department of Public Safety and to a new Capitol Police Board. Representative Ron Hicks (R-St. Charles) has been working on this plan for several years. He shares Roberts’ concern that the public officials who work in the Capitol have no say in its security.
The new Capitol Police Board would be made up of members appointed by the House Speaker, the Senate President, the Governor, the Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court, and the chair of the State Capitol Commission.
The bill passed on a nearly unanimous vote, 155-3. St. Louis representative Donna Baringer (D) and other Democrats backed the ideas.
“Unfortunately during these trying times we need security and this will do just that for us as we sit here on this floor,” Baringer said.
The proposal now goes to the Senate.
Pronunciations:
Baringer = (BARE-in-jerr)