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Missouri House adopts committee substitute for peace‑officer licensing bill after citizenship amendment fails
Summary
House Committee Substitute for HB 18‑66, which authorizes the Department of Public Safety director to deny peace‑officer applications in certain disciplinary cases and would require U.S. citizenship, was adopted after a proposed amendment to allow lawful permanent residents with honorable military service failed in a roll‑call vote (95 nays, 52 yays).
The Missouri House on Feb. 9 adopted the House Committee Substitute for House Bill 18‑66 after extended floor debate over a citizenship requirement for peace‑officer licensing.
The substitute contains two principal provisions: it gives the director of the Department of Public Safety cause to deny an application when an applicant’s license or certification was previously revoked or suspended in another jurisdiction; and it states that an applicant must be a U.S. citizen to receive a peace‑officer license or enter basic training. The gentleman from Jasper presented the committee substitute on the floor.
During debate the gentleman from Jackson offered House Amendment 1 to allow lawful permanent residents who were honorably discharged from the U.S. military to obtain licenses. Multiple members who are veterans spoke in favor of that amendment; members opposing the amendment argued that sensitive law‑enforcement work requires U.S. citizenship. The gentleman from Jasper said on the floor, “an American citizen on American soil should only be arrested by an American citizen.”
The amendment was decided by roll call and failed by 95 nays to 52 yays. After the defeat of the amendment, the House adopted the committee substitute and ordered it perfected and printed.
Next steps: the committee substitute will be perfected and printed for the legislative process to continue.
