121 Leadership, Vision, Change
injury or death. Previous law made a second conviction only a class B felony. The new law Governor Blunt signedmakes the second offense a class A felony, punishable by ten years to life in prison. Now, prosecutors have apowerful tool to place violent offenders where they can no longer harm the innocent.This legislation also protects confidentiality, by creating the Address Confidentiality Program in the Secretary of State’s office. This allows the Secretary of State to remove victims’ names from state and local public records. Itwill help keep women safe by making it more difficult for abusers to find home or work addresses.The new law also made it easier for domestic violence and sexual abuse shelters to help women and children.It requires confidentiality agreements with all employees and volunteers at rape crisis centers. Anyone workingat a rape crisis center must pledge to keep secret any information they learn about the identity of victims. Moreimportantly, it declares employees and volunteers incompetent to testify in court about confidential informationunless the victim waives the right to confidentiality. Because of these changes, women and children in Missouriknow that rape crisis centers will remain islands of security in which they are safe from their attackers.Finally, the new law protectschildren by making it easier tosue for psychological injuriescaused by sexual exploitation.Current law requires victimsof sexual exploitation toprove physical manifestationsof psychological injuries.This bill does away with thatrequirement, by setting thepolicy of the state of Missourithat sexual exploitationalways inflicts psychologicalinjury.
Streamlining Homeland Security
A safe and secure Missouri is a basic building block for our state’s future. Governor Blunt was committedto revamping Missouri’s Homeland Security operations. One of his first actions in office was to combine basicHomeland Security public safety operations. This change was borne out of Governor Blunt’s belief that homelandsecurity efforts improve public safety and traditional law enforcement work can prevent a homeland securityincident. This new organization created a more seamless operation for public safety and raised the importanceof homeland security as a priority across the department.Under the Blunt administration, Missouri’s Homeland Security program has been re-energized to a true focuson the “homeland” aspects of citizen safety and security. Missouri now has Regional Homeland Security OversightCommittees, which provide local, specific counsel to the Governor’s Homeland Security Advisory Council. The
The Blunt Years, 2005-2009 122
state also is in partnership with the Missouri School Board Association to create an alert network for schoolsboth public and private to share information in an emergency.The Office of Homeland Security is also working with public and private schools on an Emergency ResourceInformation Plan. Local first responders have contributed to the planning process, visibility on school emergencyplan changes and the ability to access the emergency response plan instantly through secure Internet access,as an emergency unfolds.In 2008, the Department of Public Safety launched the Internet portal MERIS, which stands for the MissouriEmergency Resource Information System. MERIS’s capabilities include incident management, resource tracking,communications, asset request processing and other capabilities. MERIS serves as a statewide resource fordisaster and security planning and response.
21st Century Communication or First Responders
When Governor Blunt took office, Missouri’s Highway Patrol officers were communicating on the same type of equipment they used in the 1950s. The technology to operate the systems was so antiquated that replacementparts were becoming unavailable – Missouri lawenforcement officials sometimes went to salvage yards tolocate replacement parts that could be used. Looking tothe future, Governor Blunt joined with Missouri’s state lawenforcement, local law enforcement and first respondersto champion state-of-the-art communications to takeMissouri into the future.In 2008, $29.4 million was approved for a newcommunications interoperability system. The new systemwill create a statewide communications infrastructure inthe Missouri State Highway Patrol. This network will allowlocal law enforcement and emergency response personnelto link to the new “interoperable” system. It will helpapprehend criminals, coordinate response to accidentsand natural disasters. Those who keep Missourians safeknow this state investment in modern communications willpay dividends long into the future.
“Emergency response is a basic government function. Missourians deserve the reassurance of knowing that their state leaders are going to great lengths to prepare a quick and efficient responseto any and all natural disasters.”-Governor Matt Blunt
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