JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A new bill aims to hold St. Louis City and St. Louis County accountable for crimes their residents may commit in St. Charles County.
Missouri State Rep. Phil Christofanelli (R-St. Peters) recently introduced HB 2665, which would require St. Louis City and St. Louis County to reimburse St. Charles County in cases during which their residents end up in the St. Charles County Jail.
Christofanelli is hoping to crack down on cross-county crimes around St. Charles. He says around half of the inmates in the St. Charles County Jail come from St. Louis City and County.
His bill would require both the city and county to pay for the daily costs of housing inmates and detainees from their jurisdictions, which amounts to more than $100 per day per inmate.
“If you come to St. Charles to break the law, you are going to jail. While St. Louis may
choose not to enforce its laws, our taxpayers should not be forced to subsidize
lawlessness” said Christofanelli. “Under my legislation, our county will be sending St. Louis the bill.”
Christofanelli introduced the bill on Feb. 8, and it currently awaits referral to a House committee.
