Bill to give St. Louis control of its police department passes in committee

Intro:	The House Urban Issues Committee passed a bill to give St. Louis control of its police department after a heated argument. Theo Keith has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: The committee voted 5-3 to pass the bill, but not before claims that the committee's chairman was trying to ram the bill through.

St. Louis Police Officers' Association Vice President Joe Steiger spoke out afterward.

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Description: "I think it's an embarrassment. It's clearly - this was clearly pushed through by the chairman. I don't think he followed proper procedure. I don't think he allowed ample time for both sides."

Steiger and the police department say the bill doesn't protect them from the city taking away officers' pensions.

Two lawmakers tried to offer amendments they say would have protected those pensions.

But they were ruled out of order by the committee's St. Louis County Democratic chairman.

From the state Capitol, I'm Theo Keith, Newsradio 1120 KMOX.

Intro:	The House Urban Issues Committee passed a bill to give St. Louis control of its police department, splintering Democrats and leading one lawmaker to say the bill is dead. Theo Keith has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: The bill passed 5-3, but Barnhart Democrat Jeff Roorda says it won't get any further.

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Description: "I think the bill is dead on arrival on the House floor, it's certainly dead on arrival on the Senate floor. We had an opportunity to make this a bill to bring parties together; instead, we made it a bill that tore parties apart."

The bill's sponsor, St. Louis Democratic Representative Jamilah Nasheed, says Roorda's dead wrong.

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Description: "This is a battle that we've fought hard and long for, and now it's time to put on the armor for the next battle."

Nasheed also says the bill isn't breaking up the Democratic Party, despite what it looked like in committee.

The House's Republican majority leader says he's for the bill, and wants to bring it to the full House soon.

From the state Capitol, I'm Theo Keith, Newsradio 1120 KMOX.

Intro:	St. Louis got one step closer to controlling its own police department Monday, but the issue drove a wedge through the House committee that passed it. Theo Keith has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: It started when a nonmember of the committee tried to offer an amendment he says would protect police officers' pensions.

The committee's chair, St. Louis County Democrat Ted Hoskins, shot that down.

And when Platte City Republican Jason Brown tried to offer the same amendment, Hoskins shot that down, too.

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Description: BROWN:"Mr. - he wasn't allowed to introduce..." HOSKINS: I'm not here to manipulate and play games. I'm ruling that one out of order."

Brown says Hoskins was trying to cram the bill down the committee's throat.

The bill passed, 5-3, but one lawmaker says the bill is dead upon arrival in the full House.

The House's Republican majority leader says he'll bring it up on the floor as soon as he can.

From the state Capitol, I'm Theo Keith, Newsradio 1120 KMOX.

Intro:	St. Louis is one step closer to controlling its police department after a House committee approved the plan, but one lawmaker says the vote should've been different. Theo Keith has more from Jefferson City.
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Wrap: St. Louis County Democratic Representative Vicki Englund says she was kicked off the House Urban Affairs Committee last week...right before the vote.

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Description: "I hadn't really heard of anyone just being removed from a committee, especially right before a key vote, so it was a little bit of a shock to me. I think the vote would've definitely been different, had I still been a member of the committee."

Englund says she would've voted against the bill.

It passed, 5-3, after her replacement voted for the measure.

But the House's Republican Majority Leader, Steve Tilley, tells a different story.

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Description: "My understanding is that she made a request to the Speaker to be removed from the committee. I'm sure she didn't mention that to you."

House Speaker Ron Richard wouldn't say who was right.

Tilley, who is for the bill, says he wants to bring it to the full House as soon as he can.

From the state Capitol, I'm Theo Keith, Newsradio 1120 KMOX.