A new bill in the Missouri House of Representatives could make lying to a police officer about your name or age a state-level crime.
“Currently under statute, I could falsely identify myself to a police officer as Jeremiah Nixon,” HB 1292 sponsor Rep. Mike Kelley, R-District 126, said. “I could say I forgot my ID in my other pants, and this is who I am. They would know I’m not the governor of Missouri, but as of now, there is no crime in lying to a highway patrol officer during a traffic stop.”
As it stands now, it is a Class B misdemeanor under state law to knowingly submit false written statements or forged documents to law enforcement officers, but there is no consequence for simply lying about identity to officers.
If passed, HB 1292 would broaden the statute to include verbal statements made to officers.
“The bill expands the crime of making a false declaration with the purpose to mislead a public servant in the performance of his or her duty a Class B misdemeanor, to include when a person provides any verbal false statement regarding his or her identity which the person believes or knows not to be true,” the bill states.
Kelley said deceiving police officers has been a problem throughout the years, and he introduced this bill as a result.
“It was brought to my attention by a prosecuting attorney and a sheriff, both good friends of mine,” he said. “One of my co-sponsors is a retired highway patrolman, and he said he’s seen it before as well.”
Columbia Police Department spokeswoman Jill Schlude said the problem of trying to deceive police officers is common in liquor violation arrests, and the city of Columbia already has an ordinance that covers lying to a police officer.
“(Passing HB 1292) would give us an option of charging them with a state statute violation or a city ordinance violation, so it could give us a little wider range of discretion,” Schlude said in an email.
This new House bill would make the law already imposed in Columbia a statewide law as well. In Columbia, knowingly lying to a police officer about your name or age carries with it a fine of up to $1,000, Schlude said.
Possession of a fake ID is already illegal, both statewide and citywide.
“If you use an altered ID or ID that is not yours for the purpose of purchasing or receiving intoxicating liquor, and you are under 21, you can be arrested,” Schlude said.
According to Missouri law, a minor found using a reproduced or modified ID to obtain alcohol can be charged with a misdemeanor and subject to a $500 fine for each offense. Under Columbia ordinances, any minor in possession of a falsified ID is guilty of a Class A misdemeanor, which carries a fine of up to $1,000.
A House hearing for HB 1292 was completed Feb. 20, and Kelley said testimony was given in favor of the legislation and for informational purposes, but no one testified against the bill.
According to the House website, the bill is not currently on the calendar for further action.
“The next step is for the committee to vote on it, and we’ll see what happens there,” Kelley said. “You never have any idea what will happen. Last year, 1,400 bills were introduced and 151 made it to Gov. Nixon’s desk. You have better chances playing Russian roulette, but that’s no reason not to try.”