HB 691 -- Endangerment of Emergency Personnel

Sponsor:  Schad

This bill specifies that a person will be guilty of the crime of
endangerment of emergency personnel or emergency responder if,
while in an active emergency zone as defined in the bill, the
person:

(1)  Exceeds the posted speed limit by 15 miles per hour or more;

(2)  Commits a passing violation;

(3)  Fails to stop for an active emergency zone flagman or
emergency personnel or fails to obey erected traffic control
devices or personnel in the active emergency zone;

(4)  Drives through or around an active emergency zone by using
any lane not clearly designated for that purpose;

(5)  Physically assaults, attempts to assault, or threatens to
assault an emergency responder in an active emergency zone with a
vehicle or other item;

(6)  Intentionally strikes, moves, or alters barrels, barriers,
signs, or other devices erected to control the flow of traffic
for any reason other than to avoid an obstacle, an emergency, or
to protect the health and safety of any person; or

(7)  Commits certain specified traffic offenses for which points
may be assessed against a person's driver's license.

Any person who commits the crime of endangerment of an emergency
personnel or emergency responder will be subject to a fine of up
to $1,000 and have four points assessed against his or her
driver's license in addition to any other penalty authorized by
law.  If the offense results in the injury or death of an
emergency responder or emergency personnel, the person will be
guilty of aggravated endangerment of an emergency responder and
will be subject to a fine of up to $5,000 for an injury and
$10,000 for a death with 12 points assessed against the person's
driver's license.

The bill requires a court to assess a fine of $35 in addition to
any other authorized fine to a person who is convicted or who
pled guilty to a first offense for a moving violation if the
offense occurred within an active emergency zone.  For a
subsequent conviction or plea of guilty, the court must assess a
$75 fine in addition to any other authorized fine.  Upon the
first conviction or plea of guilty by any person for a speeding
or a passing violation, a court must assess a fine of $250 in
addition to any other authorized fine if the offense occurred
within an active emergency zone and, at the time the speeding or
passing violation occurred, there were emergency personnel or
emergency responders in the zone.  For a subsequent conviction or
plea, the court must assess a fine of $300 in addition to any
other fine authorized by law.  No person can be assessed an
additional fine if the area is not visibly marked by emergency
personnel.

Missouri House of Representatives
96th General Assembly, 1st Regular Session
Last Updated August 9, 2011 at 1:24 pm