Rising temperatures are turning up the heat on Gov. Jay Nixon to act on legislation regarding children in hot cars.
The legislation would protect good Samaritans from civil liability if they break into vehicles to rescue children endangered by excessive heat.
State Rep. Elijah Haahr, the Springfield Republican who sponsored the bill, said the proposal is designed to eliminate second thoughts that might delay immediate action.
The bill, Haahr said, is to let people know if "you walk by a car, don't just call an emergency person out and hope they get there in time. You need to at some point take matters into your own hands if that child seems to be in imminent distress."
Awareness campaigns and criminal penalties have been introduced to prevent adults from leaving children in cars, but incidents and fatalities continue to be reported.
Proponents of the legislation cited data from the national advocacy group, KidsAndCars.org, that at least 25 children under age 14 died of heat stroke in vehicles last year.
Support for the bill was widespread in the Legislature during the session. The Senate unanimously approved the proposal and the House recorded only two dissenting votes.
Among them was state Rep. Brandon Ellington, D-Kansas City, who said "blanket immunity" is unnecessary because it's unlikely good Samaritans would face legal penalties for attempting to rescue children.
Common sense is not always easy to legislate. For example, we hope a zealous, outraged rescuer wouldn't use a rock to smash a window when an unlocked door could have been opened.
The bottom line, however, is children suffering heat stroke are in grave danger and need immediate relief.
Rescuing a child in distress take priority over sorting out the particular whys and wherefores. We encourage the governor to sign this bill.