FIRST REGULAR SESSION

HOUSE BILL NO. 502

89TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES HOSMER (Sponsor), BOUCHER, SMITH AND GIBBONS.

Read 1st time January 30, 1997 and 1000 copies ordered printed.

ANNE C. WALKER, Chief Clerk

L1038.01I

AN ACT

To repeal section 429.015, RSMo 1994, relating to liens authorized for certain architectural or engineering services, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to the same subject.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:

Section A. Section 429.015, RSMo 1994, is repealed and one new section enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 429.015, to read as follows:

429.015. 1. Every registered architect or corporation registered to practice architecture, every registered professional engineer or corporation registered to practice professional engineering, every registered landscape architect or corporation registered to practice landscape architecture, and every registered land surveyor or corporation registered to practice land surveying, who does any landscape architectural, architectural, engineering or land surveying work upon or performs any landscape architectural, architectural, engineering or land surveying service directly connected with the erection or repair of any building or other improvement upon land under or by virtue of any contract with the owner or proprietor thereof, or [his] such person's agent, trustee, contractor or subcontractor, or without a contract if ordered by a city, town, village or county having a charter form of government to abate the conditions that caused a structure on that property to be deemed a dangerous building under local ordinances pursuant to section 67.410, RSMo, upon complying with the provisions of this chapter, shall have for [his] such person's landscape architectural, architectural, engineering or land surveying work or service so done or performed, a lien upon the building or other improvements and upon the land belonging to the owner or proprietor on which the building or improvements are situated, to the extent of one acre. If the building or other improvement is upon any lot of land in any town, city or village, then the lien shall be upon such building or other improvements, and the lot or land upon which the building or other improvements are situated, to secure the payment for the landscape architectural, architectural, engineering or land surveying work or service so done or performed. For purposes of this section, a corporation engaged in the practice of architecture, engineering, landscape architecture, or land surveying, shall be deemed to be registered if the corporation itself is registered [under] pursuant to the laws of this state to practice architecture, engineering or land surveying[, or if any officer thereof, who owns more than fifty percent of the capital common stock of such corporation, is registered under the laws of this state as an architect, engineer, landscape architect, or land surveyor, and such registration of the corporation shall be effective as of the original date of registration of such principal stockholder].

2. Every mechanic or other person who shall do or perform any work or labor upon or furnish any material or machinery for the digging of a well to obtain water under or by virtue of any contract with the owner or proprietor thereof, or [his] such person's agent, trustee, contractor or subcontractor, upon complying with the provisions of sections 429.010 to 429.340 shall have for [his] such person's work or labor done, or materials or machinery furnished, a lien upon the land belonging to such owner or proprietor on which the same are situated, to the extent of one acre, to secure the payment of such work or labor done, or materials or machinery furnished as [aforesaid] as provided in this section.

3. Every mechanic or other person who shall do or perform any work or labor upon, or furnish any material, fixtures, engine, boiler or machinery, for the purpose of demolishing or razing a building or structure under or by virtue of any contract with the owner or proprietor thereof, or [his] such person's agent, trustee, contractor or subcontractor, or without a contract if ordered by a city, town, village or county having a charter form of government to abate the conditions that caused a structure on that property to be deemed a dangerous building under local ordinances pursuant to section 67.410, RSMo, upon complying with the provisions of sections 429.010 to 429.340, shall have for [his] such person's work or labor done, or materials, fixtures, engine, boiler or machinery furnished, a lien upon the land belonging to such owner or proprietor on which the same are situated, to the extent of one acre. If the building or buildings to be demolished or razed are upon any lot of land in any town, city or village, then the lien shall be upon the lot or lots or land upon which the building or other improvements are situated, to secure the payment for the labor and materials performed.

4. The provisions of sections 429.030 to 429.060 and sections 429.080 to 429.430 applicable to liens of mechanics and other persons shall apply to and govern the procedure with respect to the liens provided for in subsections 1, 2 and 3 of this section.

5. Any design professional or corporation authorized to have lien rights pursuant to subsection 1 of this section shall have a lien upon the building or other improvement and upon the land, whether or not actual construction of the planned work or improvement has commenced if:

(1) The owner or proprietor thereof, or such person's agent or trustee contracted for such professional services directly with the design professional or corporation asserting the lien; and

(2) The owner or lessee is the owner or lessee of such real property either at the time the contract is made or at the time the lien is filed.

6. Priority between such lien claimant and any other mechanic's lien claimant shall be determined pursuant to the provisions of section 429.260 on a pro rata basis.

7. In any civil action pursuant to this section, the owner or lessee may assert defenses which include, but are not limited to, that the actual construction of the planned work or improvement:

(1) Was not done in compliance with the professional services contract; or

(2) Is impracticable or economically infeasible.
Return to the Missouri House of Representatives