| Opinion | Date | Topic | Summary |
|---|
| 1-81 | Jan 27 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable James F. Antonio |
| 2-81 | Jan 26 | | Opinion letter to Mr. J. H. Frappier |
| 5-81 | Oct 22 | | Opinion letter to Barrett A. Toan |
| 6-81 | Feb 3 | SOLDIERS. | Depreciation is to be considered as an operating cost when calculating the average per capita cost of each type of care provided for residents of the Missouri Veteran's Home, pursuant to Section 42.110, RSMo 1978, and that depreciation also is to be included in determining the actual cost of care for such residents pursuant to the above statute. |
| 7-81 | Sept 28 | | Opinion letter to Dr. James Frank |
| 10-81 | | | Withdrawn |
| 12-81 | June 10 | HOSPITALS.
COUNTY HOSPITALS.
COURT COSTS.
CIVIL COSTS. | A filing fee is not required in an action brought on behalf of a county hospital organized under the provisions of § 205.160 for the collection of an overdue account. |
| 13-81 | | | Withdrawn |
| 16-81 | Feb 5 | CRIMINAL LAW.
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE.
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES. | A defendant receiving concurrent sentences on offenses committed both before and after the enactment of the present criminal code, can be held in prison beyond his conditional release date on the code sentence until he is granted release on the 7/12ths date on the pre-code sentence. However, the conditional release term should continue to run simultaneously with any periods of incarceration on the longer concurrent pre-code sentence. |
| 17-81 | Feb 5 | CRIMINAL LAW.
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE.
DEPARTMENT OF SOCIAL SERVICES. | If a defendant is sentenced to serve concurrent sentences of unequal length under the present criminal code, he must have the shorter sentence run continuously with the longer sentence. The conditional release term on the shorter sentence should continue to run during the prison term on the longer sentence. |
| 18-81 | | | Withdrawn |
| 20-81 | Jan 7 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable William C. McIlroy |
| 21-81 | Jan 15 | SOCIAL SECURITY.
PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS.
ASSISTANT PROSECUTING ATTORNEYS. | Counties where assistant prosecutors are employed under § 56.700, RSMo Supp. 1980, are responsible for the employer's share of social security taxes and for fringe benefits provided to other county employees. |
| 22-81 | Jan 28 | CITIES, TOWNS, AND VILLAGES.
CITY COUNCIL.
CITY OFFICERS.
COMPENSATION.
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW. | After a municipal election, the city council of a fourth class city must meet as soon as the results of the election can be declared, declare and certify such results, and allow the aldermen-elect to take office upon their taking the oath and qualifying. Such city has no authority to delay the aldermen-elect from taking office by ordinance provision delaying such date. A compensation increase passed with respect to such board of aldermen after the election and prior to the date the new aldermen take office to take effect when the new board of aldermen take office does not increase the compensation on that date of either the alderman-elect who was not previously an incumbent, the aldermen-elect who were incumbents, or the incumbents who were not up for election. |
| 25-81 | May 18 | PEACE OFFICERS.
JUVENILE OFFICERS. | Juvenile officers do not fall within the definition of peace officers as provided by Section 590.100(2), RSMo. |
| 27-81 | | | Withdrawn |
| 29-81 | June 10 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Gary E. Stevenson |
| 31-81 | Apr 28 | MENTAL HEALTH. | In considering §§ 205.975 through 205.990, RSMo, in their entirety, before any entities can receive community mental health fund moneys levied and collected by counties under §§ 205.975 through 205.990, the entities are required to be designated by the Department of Mental Health in the state plan as providers of comprehensive mental health services in the catchment areas where the entities are located. |
| 32-81 | Feb 4 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Edward D. Daniel |
| 34-81 | Feb 27 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Estil Fretwell |
| 35-81 | Oct 2 | DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
TORT DEFENSE FUND.
ADJUTANT GENERAL. | The Tort Defense Fund does not extend generally to the officers, agents, employees and members of the Office of the Adjutant General, to those in the Disaster Planning and Operations Office, or to those in the Office of Air Search and Rescue except to the extent that individuals so employed are the Adjutant General or members of the Missouri National Guard. |
| 36-81 | Feb 20 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable George E. Murray |
| 37-81 | Sept 17 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Truman E. Wilson |
| 39-81 | Jan 29 | LIBRARIES. | Under the terms of § 137.073.3, RSMo Supp. 1980, if a library district is on a calendar year and the assessed valuation of real or real and personal property combined within the district has increased by ten percent or more over the prior year's valuation by action other than general reassessment, the tax rate set in 1980 must be lowered to the extent necessary to produce substantially the same amount of tax revenue as estimated in the library district's 1980 annual budget. |
| 40-81 | Nov 16 | STATE EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM.
MEDICAL CARE PLAN.
HEALTH INSURANCE AND ACCIDENT INSURANCE. | The Board of Trustees of the Missouri State Employees' Retirement System has authority under the provisions of § 104.515, RSMo Supp. 1980, to include in any health benefits plan offered to its members the option of membership in a health maintenance organization organized under Chapter 354, RSMo 1978, and the Missouri State Employees' Retirement System must offer its members the option of membership in a qualified health maintenance organization, where twenty-five (25) or more system members reside in that HMO's service area. |
| 43-81 | June 26 | RETIREMENT.
STATE EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM. | Under §§ 104.310, et seq., as amended by House Committee Substitute for House Bills Nos. 835, 53, 591 and 830 of the 81st General Assembly, if the employee does not use his accrued annual leave while he is an employee, and accrued annual leave is paid as a lump sum on the payroll for the employee's last month of work, the accrued annual leave is excluded from calculations of average final compensation and creditable service. Retirement benefits then commence the day after the last day worked. |
| 45-81 | Jan 13 | CITIES, TOWNS, AND VILLAGES. | Section 71.015, SSHB No. 1110, 80th General Assembly, is not applicable to cities, towns, or villages located in first class charter counties. The provisions of § 71.860, RSMo, refer to repealed § 71.015, RSMo 1978, which still applies to cities, towns, or villages in first class charter counties. |
| 47-81 | Feb 19 | | Opinion letter to Mr. Joseph Frappier |
| 49-81 | Jan 8 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Emory Melton |
| 50-81 | Mar 2 | | Opinion letter to Senator Edwin L. Dirck |
| 51-81 | Sept 21 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Samuel C. Jones |
| 52-81 | Jan 23 | INSURANCE. | Premiums received by an insurer under a policy or contract issued in connection with qualified or except annuities under the Missouri deferred compensation program are excluded from the premium tax under the provisions of § 148.390, RSMo 1978. |
| 53-81 | June 8 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Kenneth L. Oswald |
| 60-81 | Jan 30 | CONSTITUTIONAL LAW.
STATE MONIES.
CRIMINAL PROCEDURE. | It is within the power of the general assembly to pass substantive legislation aiding crime victims and to appropriate money therefor from general revenue. The general assembly also has the power to pass general legislation compensating crime victims from the proceeds of a pool of money originating from a surcharge on court costs and to require a defendant as part of his criminal punishment to compensate his victim. |
| 61-81 | Jan 9 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable John A. Birch |
63-81
Addendum | Jan 14 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Morris Westfall |
| 64-81 | Apr 3 | | Opinion letter to Mr. W. David Blackwell |
| 65-81 | Feb 2 | CITIES, TOWNS, AND VILLAGES.
CITY COUNCIL.
CITY ORDINANCES. | Under the holding of State ex rel. Stewart v. King, 562 S.W. 2d 704 (Mo. App., K.C.D. 1978), an alderman of a fourth class city who abstains from voting, under § 79.130, RSMo, does not have his abstention counted as a vote. |
| 66-81 | | | Withdrawn |
| 67-81 | Mar 12 | | Opinion letter to Mr. Fred A. Lafser |
| 68-81 | Jan 16 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Kaye Steinmetz |
| 69-81 | | | Withdrawn |
| 71-81 | Mar 13 | EMPLOYMENT COMPENSATION.
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW.
STATE REVENUES. | Only such sums as are expended from the unemployment compensation fund for payment of administrative expenses pursuant to an appropriation by the legislature are properly includable in the definition of total state revenues found in Section 17, Article X of the Missouri Constitution. |
| 72-81 | May 6 | SCHOOLS.
DEPOSITARIES.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS. | Local school districts are not required to bid depositaries in accordance with the provisions of Chapter 165, RSMo, because it is "unlawful” for a banking institution to pay interest upon demand deposits. |
| 73-81 | Apr 2 | MERIT SYSTEM.
STATE EMPLOYEES.
REORGANIZATION ACT. | Division directors of the Department of Social Services may designate only one exempt assistant pursuant to § 36.030.1(1), RSMo Supp. 1980. |
| 76-81 | June 9 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable James R. Strong |
| 77-81 | Mar 20 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Jerry E. McBride |
| 80-81 | Mar 5 | | Opinion letter to Dr. James F. Antonio |
| 84-81 | Feb 25 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Fred Lynn |
| 85-81 | Mar 11 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Harold L. Lowenstein |
| 86-81 | May 27 | SHERIFFS.
COUNTIES.
COUNTY COURT. | A contract entered into with the United States Secretary of the Army under § 57.109, RSMo Supp. 1980, for special law enforcement services by a sheriff must have the approval of the county court. The sheriff does not receive any additional compensation for the performance of such services, although the contract may contain provisions for direct reimbursement of mileage expense for the sheriff or his deputies using personal vehicles. |
| 87-81 | Feb 24 | EMPLOYMENT SECURITY. | The half percent increase in the employer's contribution to the unemployment compensation fund under § 288.123, RSMo Supp. 1980, is effective for the quarter following the ensuing quarter after any quarter in which the cash balance in the unemployment fund on any day is below 150 million dollars, but is not a cumulative increase. |
| 88-81 | Mar 3 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Gary D. Sharpe |
| 89-81 | June 8 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable William R. O'Toole |
| 90-81 | Mar 23 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Lester Patterson |
| 91-81 | Mar 6 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Robert B. Langworthy |
| 92-81 | June 16 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Paul Bradshaw |
| 93-81 | Mar 4 | | Opinion letter to Mr. Fred A. Lafser |
| 94-81 | Mar 10 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Al Nilges |
| 96-81 | | | Withdrawn |
| 97-81 | Mar 6 | | Opinion letter to Dr. Arthur L. Mallory |
| 98-81 | Mar 30 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Fred B. Brummel |
| 99-81 | Mar 17 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Travis Morrison |
| 102-81 | Mar 24 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Steve Vossmeyer |
| 104-81 | May 13 | HANCOCK AMENDMENT.
TAXATION (MERCHANTS & MANUFACTURERS). | The change by the St. Louis County Board of Equalization in the formula for calculation of the merchants' and manufacturers' tax does not constitute an increase in the levy of an existing tax or the imposition of a new tax and need not, therefore, be submitted for voter approval according to the Hancock Amendment. |
| 106-81 | May 14 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Gary E. Stevenson |
| 107-81 | June 26 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Kenneth L. Oswald |
| 108-81 | Apr 27 | ASSESSMENTS.
INTEREST.
COUNTIES. | Interest collected on the assessment fund of the county under § 137.720 and § 137.750, RSMo Supp. 1980, goes into such fund and is not to be paid into county general revenue. |
| 109-81 | | | Withdrawn |
| 113-81 | Apr 20 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Paul L. Bradshaw |
| 115-81 | July 9 | ASSESSMENTS.
REASSESSMENT.
HANCOCK AMENDMENT.
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW.
STATE TAX COMMISSION. | With regard to the statewide reassessment currently in process the "state financed proportion” required to be maintained according to the Hancock Amendment (Art. X, § 21) is to be measured by the percentages set forth in § 137.750, RSMo Supp. 1980, and that accordingly, the state is responsible for reimbursement to the counties based upon the application of those percentages to actual approved expenses incurred in each county of the state. |
| 116-81 | May 1 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable John G. Meyer |
| 119-81 | May 4 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable David Doctorian |
| 120-81 | Apr 30 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Joe Moseley |
| 122-81 | Apr 22 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Larry E. Mead |
| 123-81 | | | Withdrawn |
| 124-81 | May 1 | HANCOCK AMENDMENT.
CONSTITUTIONAL LAW. | The charges imposed by the Board of Public Works of the city of Fulton for electricity and natural gas consumption do not constitute any type of tax, license, or fee within the meaning of Art. X, § 22, Mo. Constitution, and that increases in those charges do not, therefore, depend for their validity upon voter approval prior to imposition. |
| 125-81 | | | Withdrawn |
| 126-81 | May 7 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable James F. Antonio |
| 128-81 | Dec 31 | LAND RECLAMATION COMMISSION.
STATE CONTRACTS.
STATE PURCHASES. | The Land Reclamation Commission in implementing the Surface Coal Mining Law, Sections 444.800 to 444.940, RSMo Supp. 1981 , is subject to requirements of the Purchasing Law, Chapter 34, RSMo 1978. |
| 129-81 | Sept 25 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Stephen C. Bradford |
| 130-81 | July 1 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Estil Fretwell |
| 132-81 | Dec 24 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Lester R. Patterson |
| 135-81 | | | Withdrawn |
| 136-81 | June 22 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Larry E. Mead |
| 137-81 | Oct 7 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Phil Snowden |
| 139-81 | Sept 28 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Jerry E. McBride |
| 145-81 | July 8 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable John A. Birch |
| 153-81 | Dec 31 | ACCIDENT REPORTS.
JUVENILES.
PEACE OFFICERS AND PEACE OFFICERS' RECORDS.
TRAFFIC OFFENSES.
TRAFFIC VIOLATIONS. | Peace officers, upon request :
(1) must release the names of juveniles involved in traffic accidents when such juveniles are not alleged to have violated any state or municipal traffic ordinances ore regulations in connection with such accidents;
(2) must release the names of sixteen-year-old juveniles who are alleged to have violated non-felony state or municipal traffic ordinances or regulations in connection with a traffic accident;
(3) may not release the names of juveniles who are alleged to have violated state or municipal traffic ordinances or regulations the violations of which are felonies;
(4) may not release the names of juveniles under the age of sixteen who are alleged to have violated state or municipal traffic ordinances or violations; and
(5) consistent with this opinion's holding on the release of names, must release other pertinent information concerning a traffic accident to inquiring parties. |
| 158-81 | Dec 3 | SOIL AND WATER DISTRICTS COMMISSION.
REORGANIZATION ACT.
GOVERNOR.
DEPARTMENT OF NATURAL RESOURCES. | Members of State Soil and Water Districts Commission are to be appointed pursuant to Section 10.4 of Reorganization Act. |
| 159-81 | July 24 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Orvey C. Buck |
| 160-81 | Aug 18 | CIRCUIT CLERKS.
DEPUTY CIRCUIT CLERKS.
STATE EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM. | 1. A person who was a deputy circuit clerk in the City of St. Louis on June 30 1981 and who became a state employee the next day is a member of the Missouri State Employees' Retirement System and entitled to creditable prior service for all service rendered to the City of St. Louis if the individual complies with the provisions of paragraphs (a), (b), (c) and (d) of § 104.345.3(1) of House Committee Substitute for House Bills Nos. 835, 53, 591 and 830 of the 81st General Assembly.
2. The allowance for creditable prior service provided for in House Bills Nos. 835, 53, 591 and 830 of the 81st General Assembly, for deputy circuit clerks of the City of St. Louis is not contingent upon the City of St. Louis Retirement System consenting to the transfer of funds. |
| 163-81 | Aug 18 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable John Schneider |
| 167-81 | Dec 21 | TEACHERS.
TEACHER EMPLOYMENT.
SCHOOL DISTRICTS. | Under Section 168.221, a metropolitan school district
(1) is not required to give a probationary teacher any reason for nonretention of the teacher for the subsequent school year, and
(2) is not required to give a probationary teacher whose work has been determined unsatisfactory in March of a given year a statement of the reason or reasons for nonretention or a written statement setting forth the nature of the teacher's incompetency, or to allow the teacher a period of one semester within which to improve. |
| 168-81 | Oct 2 | | The fees and revenues of MHDC are not subject to constitutional and statutory mandates that all state revenue and other moneys from any source whatsoever be deposited in the state treasury and that the MHDC fees and revenues are not subject to appropriation by the General Assembly. |
| 170-81 | Oct 8 | | Opinion Letter to The Honorable Kaye Steinmetz |
| 175-81 | Dec 24 | DEPARTMENT OF PUBLIC SAFETY.
LIQUOR.
LICENSES. | The supervisor of the Division of Liquor Control may not issue a license for the sale of light wines not in excess of fourteen percent by weight by the drink at retail for consumption on the premises where sold in cities under 20,000 inhabitants or unincorporated areas outside the city limits unless a majority of the qualified voters of said city have authorized him to do so. The supervisor of the Division of Liquor Control retains his statutory discretion to issue a license for sale by the drink at retail for consumption on the premises where sold of light wines not in excess of fourteen percent in cities and unincorporated areas not within the purview of Section 311.090. |
| 177-81 | Dec 17 | WORKERS' COMPENSATION.
CRIME VICTIMS. | The Workers' Compensation Fund, Section 287.710, may not be expended for salaries and expenses relating to the administration of Chapter 595, pertaining to crime victims. |
| 178-81 | Dec 17 | CONFLICT OF INTEREST.
PRESIDING JUDGE COUNTY COURT.
SCHOOL BOARDS.
SCHOOL CONTRACTS. | Presiding judge of county court is not a regular member of school board under Section 162.301.3, RSMo Supp. 1981 , and, therefore, Section 105.458, RSMo, is not applicable to presiding judge. |
| 180-81 | Dec 28 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable Jack Goldman |
| 181-81 | Nov 17 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable George E. Murray |
| 182-81 | Nov 13 | | Opinion letter to The Honorable James C. Kirkpatrick |
| 183-81 | Dec 21 | JUDGES.
JUDICIAL RETIREMENT.
STATE EMPLOYEES' RETIREMENT SYSTEM. | A judge who requests and receives a refund of retirement contributions as provided in subsection 4 of Section 476.585, RSMo Supp. 1981 , will not suffer any reduction or elimination of benefits on his or her own behalf or on behalf of a spouse under the provisions of Sections 476.535, 476.540 and 476.545 which they would otherwise be eligible to receive. |