NEW FELONY LIMIT ANOTHER LEGISLATIVE GAFFE

Upon concluding this year's session of the General Assembly, legislative leaders congratulated themselves on passing more significant legislation than any year in recent memory. Among the touted bills was what we are told is the toughest anti-methamphetamine bill in America, which Gov. Mel Carnahan recently signed into law. The sponsor was state Sen. Harry Wiggins, D-Kansas City, who is former federal prosecutor and 24-year Senate veteran. House sponsor was state Rep. Craig Hosmer, D-Springfield.

Lurking inside the lengthy bill was a hooker reminiscent of the recent fiasco on the legislative pension increase. It seems that the bill, designed to stiffen penalties on those who produce, sell or use the highly addictive drug, would also increase the threshold for prosecuting theft as a felony from $150 to $750. Oops.

"No one noticed it, and it just went through," said David Overfelt, a lobbyist for the Missouri Association of Retailers. Overfelt said his group would have preferred to see a smaller increase in the threshold -- to about $400. One key prosecutor said he would have preferred to see the figure increased to between $400 and $500 to keep up with inflation.

Looks like lawmakers may have some corrective work to do next year. Here's hoping they will be paying attention.