St. Joseph, Mo. – Gov. Jay Nixon signed four bills Wednesday that he said will fill gaps in Missouri legislation to protect citizens of all ages.
“They’re so important because they’re going to protect kids, and support a network that we have in this state that values kids,” Gov. Nixon said.
Senate Bill 341 creates a new obligation within state law requiring the Missouri Children’s Division to conduct a Family Assessment on the family of a child, under the age of 14, who has allegedly committed sexual abuse against another child. Prior to this legislation, the Missouri Children’s Division had limited authority to take action on child abuse reports in which the alleged abuser was under the age of 14.
Additionally, Senate Bill 341 requires that all licensed child care facilities providing care for children less than one year of age shall implement a written safe sleep policy that is consistent with the most recent safe sleep recommendations of the American Academy of Pediatrics. It also requires day care centers, preschools, and nursery schools to inform parents, upon request, if there are other children at the facility who have obtained a religious or medical exemption from required immunizations.
“So if you have a measles outbreak coming through the town or something like that, as a parent without putting it on the front page of the paper you’ll be able to figure out whether you’re sending your kid into a situation where they might pick up something like that,” Gov. Nixon said.
Nixon also signed Senate Bill 321, allowing victims of sexual assault to seek orders of protection from the court, regardless of the perpetrator of the crime.
“It will give them a tool that they will go to the courts and get an order of protection,” said Sen. Dan Hegeman, bill sponsor. “It’s very similar to what’s already available for domestic abuse and victim’s of stalking we just added in victim’s of sexual assault to give them the opportunity for protection by the government from their perpetrator”
Jean Brown, YWCA of St. Joseph Executive Director said the bill will provide more protection for victims.
“For us as a provider of domestic violence and sexual assault services it just gives us another legal tool to use in keeping sexual assault survivors and the advocates that work with them safer,” Brown said.
The governor also signed House Bill 1149, which clarifies the Division of Youth Services’ ability to receive and distribute wages for youth in its custody, and allows DYS to establish on-the-job training to develop good work habits and marketable skills for young people in its care; and House Bill 531, which aims to protect children from ingesting dangerous chemicals used in electronic cigarettes by requiring bottles containing these liquids to meet federal child-resistant effectiveness standards.