Local governments would be able to require officers to be able to respond to work within an hour but would not be able to require they live in the area they serve

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. — The Missouri House of Representatives passed a bill that would do away with the residency requirement for police officers across the state.

House Bill 1604 would make it so no city, village, town, county, township or board of police would be allowed to require any employed or prospective law enforcement officer to live in the area they serve. Local governments would be able to require officers to be able to respond to work within an hour.

The bill was sponsored by Republican Representative Ron Hicks, who represents part of St. Charles County.

In January, the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department was down more than 100 police officers, and leaders in the area blamed the city's residency requirement.

"Our biggest hurdle is this residency rule," Sergeant Donny Walters said back in January.

Last year, Mayor Lyda Krewson supported a change that would have gotten rid of the residency requirement, but the Board of Aldermen shot it down.

At the time, Alderwoman Cara Spencer told 5 On Your Side she agreed that public safety was the "paramount" concern, but said, "This is the mayor bypassing the city legislature and city voters."

The bill passed out of the House by a 105-41 vote. Eleven of the no votes were by St. Louis representatives. Eight other St. Louis representatives voted in favor of it.