March 15, 2010

House plans budget amendment to restrict "profiling" in security report

By David Catanese, KY3 Political Reporter

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By Brian Vandenberg

Story Published: Mar 24, 2009 at 10:04 PM CDT

Story Updated: Mar 25, 2009 at 10:55 AM CDT

SPRINGFIELD -- A bipartisan coalition of Missouri House members is planning to sign on to a budget amendment that would prohibit the Department of Public Safety from using any state or federal money for "political profiling."

Springfield Rep. Bob Dixon tells KY3 News that the proposed amendment will be offered on the floor Wednesday in response to the political firestorm over the MIAC security report. The security report targets specific groups as potential security threats. Those on the watch-list include members of Christian Identity, Anti-Abortionists, Tax Resistors, Anti-Immigration advocates and supporters of third party candidates like Ron Paul. On Monday, the state's head of Public Safety apologized for the reference to the third party candidates --- but had no comment on the other characteristics used in the report that some conservatives have found offensive.

Dixon said several meetings were held at the state Capitol on Tuesday to discuss how best to respond to lawmakers problems with the language included. "It's just outrageous. The report is so sloppy. When you begin going into specific political candidates, it's really on the edge. Like Big Brother. It's got a lot of people upset," Dixon said in an interview.

Dixon said that there's strong bipartisan support for the amendment. "It will be a unified response," Dixon said.

Rep. Jim Guest will offer the amendment on the floor Wednesday during debate over HB 8. Rep. Chris Kelly will be the leading Democrat to sign on.

The amendment reads the following: "AMEND House Committee Substitute for House Bill No. 8, Page 1, Sec. 8.005, Line 5, by adding immediately after the word "Equipment" the following . . . "and provided the Missouri Department of Public Safety shall not spend state or federal funds for political profiling."

There was some discussion within the coalition to try to draft an amendment that would reduce the Missouri Information Analysis Center's budget and move funds to a Cybercrime task force -- but Dixon said that approach was rejected.

The amendment is expected to come to the floor sometime Wednesday afternoon during the debate over the 2010 budget.

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To read the MIAC report, click here.

For more reaction and background on this story, click on The KY3 Political Notebook.

To follow Dave Catanese's TWITTER updates, click HERE.

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