By Summer Ballentine
Associated Press
LOUIS (AP) - Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon signed legislation limiting the ability of cities to profit from traffic tickets and municipal court fines - the first significant step taken by state lawmakers to address concerns raised after last summer’s fatal police shooting of a black, unarmed 18-year-old in Ferguson.
Nixon announced the bill signing in St. Louis, near the suburb where white Officer Darren Wilson fatally shot Michael Brown in August, setting off protests that occasionally turned violent.
Brown was walking in the street, not driving, when he was stopped by Wilson and scuffled with the officer. A U.S. Justice Department investigation cleared Wilson of wrongdoing in Brown’s death, and a state grand jury declined to bring charges.
Supporters of the legislation have said it will address the predatory revenue-generating practices of Ferguson’s police and court system that were detailed in a Justice Department report.
Some protesters said the generally white police force’s treatment of the predominantly black community led to longstanding frustrations and racial tensions. The use of police to collect revenue through traffic fines and court fees added to that distrust, according to some residents and legal advocates.
Once the new municipal courts law takes effect Aug. 28, it will lower the percentage of revenue most cities can collect from traffic fines and fees from 30 percent to 20 percent. Any additional money from fees must go to local schools, an attempt by lawmakers to take away incentives for local governments to overly rely on ticketing for funding.
Cities in St. Louis County would be capped at 12.5 percent, a provision that’s been criticized as unfair by some lawmakers from that area.
St. Louis County communities also will have to meet a set of standards that include a balanced budget, accredited police force and annual audit or face possible disincorporation.
Fines for minor traffic violations will be capped at $300, including court fees, and charges for failure to appear in court for those offenses will be eliminated. Although a report by legislative researchers did not estimate the total cost of the legislation to cities, many have said it could take a chunk from local budgets.
For example, the city of Springfield estimated it could cost the community $250,000 a year because of the provision axing required court appearances.
The measure will also require municipal courts to be open to the public, offer alternative sentencing options and prohibit the use of detention to coerce payments.
Nixon signed the bill the same day that construction was launched on a job-training center in Ferguson where a QuickTrip convenience store was looted and torched a night after the shooting. It was not immediately clear how quickly the center might be built or exactly what it will cost, though the Urban League of Metropolitan St. Louis said companies have contributed more than $1 million toward the effort, which includes giving young jobless or underemployed men a month’s training.
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City courts bill is SB 5
Online:
Senate: http://www.senate.mo.gov
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Ballentine reported from Jefferson City. Follow her at https://twitter.com/esballentine.
Copyright 2015 The Associated Press.