HOUSE BILL NO. 1762
90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
ANNE C. WALKER, Chief Clerk
To repeal sections 32.105 and 32.110, RSMo Supp. 1999, relating to economic development assistance, and to enact in lieu thereof ten new sections relating to marketing of Missouri agricultural products.
Section A. Sections 32.105 and 32.110, RSMo Supp. 1999, are repealed and ten new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 32.105, 32.110, 261.031, 261.032, 261.037, 261.038, 261.110, 1, 2 and 3, to read as follows:
32.105. As used in sections 32.100 to 32.125, the following terms mean:
(1) "Affordable housing assistance activities", money, real or personal property, or professional services expended or devoted to the construction, or rehabilitation of affordable housing units;
(2) "Affordable housing unit", a residential unit generally occupied by persons and families with incomes at or below the levels described in this subdivision and bearing a cost to the occupant no greater than thirty percent of the maximum eligible household income for the affordable housing unit. In the case of owner-occupied units, the cost to the occupant shall be considered the amount of the gross monthly mortgage payment, including casualty insurance, mortgage insurance, and taxes. In the case of rental units, the cost to the occupant shall be considered the amount of the gross rent. The cost to the occupant shall include the cost of any utilities, other than telephone. If any utilities are paid directly by the occupant, the maximum cost that may be paid by the occupant is to be reduced by a utility allowance prescribed by the commission. Persons or families are eligible occupants of affordable housing units if the household combined, adjusted gross income as defined by the commission is equal to or less than the following percentages of the median family income for the geographic area in which the residential unit is located, or the median family income for the state of Missouri, whichever is larger; ("geographic area" means the metropolitan area or county designated as an area by the federal Department of Housing and Urban Development under Section 8 of the United States Housing Act of 1937, as amended, for purposes of determining fair market rental rates):
Percent of State or
Geographic Area Family
Size of Household Median Income
One Person 35%
Two Persons 40%
Three Persons 45%
Four Persons 50%
Five Persons 54%
Six Persons 58%
Seven Persons 62%
Eight Persons 66%
(3) "Business firm", person, firm, a partner in a firm, corporation or a shareholder in an S corporation doing business in the state of Missouri and subject to the state income tax imposed by the provisions of chapter 143, RSMo, or a corporation subject to the annual corporation franchise tax imposed by the provisions of chapter 147, RSMo, or an insurance company paying an annual tax on its gross premium receipts in this state, or other financial institution paying taxes to the state of Missouri or any political subdivision of this state pursuant to the provisions of chapter 148, RSMo, or an express company which pays an annual tax on its gross receipts in this state;
(4) "Commission", the Missouri housing development commission;
(5) "Community services", any type of counseling and advice, emergency assistance or medical care furnished to individuals or groups in the state of Missouri or transportation services at below-cost rates as provided in sections 208.250 to 208.275, RSMo;
(6) "Crime prevention", any activity which aids in the reduction of crime in the state of Missouri;
(7) "Defense industry contractor", a person, corporation or other entity which will be or has been negatively impacted as a result of its status as a prime contractor of the Department of Defense or as a second or third tier contractor. A "second tier contractor" means a person, corporation or other entity which contracts to perform manufacturing, maintenance or repair services for a prime contractor of the Department of Defense, and a "third tier contractor" means a person, corporation or other entity which contracts with a person, corporation or other entity which contracts with a prime contractor of the Department of Defense;
(8) "Doing business", among other methods of doing business in the state of Missouri, a partner in a firm or a shareholder in an S corporation shall be deemed to be doing business in the state of Missouri if such firm or S corporation, as the case may be, is doing business in the state of Missouri;
(9) "Economic development", the acquisition, renovation, improvement, or the furnishing or equipping of existing buildings and real estate in distressed or blighted areas of the state when such acquisition, renovation, improvement, or the furnishing or equipping of the business development projects will result in the creation or retention of jobs within the state; or, until June 30, 1996, a defense conversion pilot project located in a standard metropolitan statistical area which contains a city with a population of at least three hundred fifty thousand inhabitants, which will assist Missouri-based defense industry contractors in their conversion from predominately defense-related contracting to nondefense-oriented manufacturing. Only neighborhood organizations, as defined in subdivision (13) of this section, may apply to conduct economic development projects. Prior to the approval of an economic development project, the neighborhood organization shall enter into a contractual agreement with the department of economic development. Credits approved for economic development projects may not exceed four million dollars from within any one fiscal year's allocation. Neighborhood assistance program tax credits for economic development projects and affordable housing assistance as defined in section 32.111, may be transferred, sold or assigned by a notarized endorsement thereof naming the transferee;
(10) "Education", any type of scholastic instruction or scholarship assistance to an individual who resides in the state of Missouri that enables the individual to prepare himself or herself for better opportunities or community awareness activities rendered by a statewide organization established for the purpose of archeological education and preservation;
(11) "Eligible farmer's market", a group of farmers, each of whom farms agricultural land located within this state which he or she rents or owns, and who have formed a group for the purpose of allowing each member farmer to sell his or her products derived from his or her farming activities to the public at a common structure or building when at least fifty percent of the costs of such structure or building are paid for by such group of farmers;
(12) "Farms" and "farming activities", using or cultivating land for the production of (a) agricultural crops; (b) livestock or livestock products; (c) poultry or poultry products; (d) milk or dairy products; or (e) fruit or other horticultural products, provided; however, "farms" and "farming activities" shall not include a processor of farm products or a distributor of farming supplies contracting to provide spraying, harvesting or other farming services;
(13) "Homeless assistance pilot project", the program established pursuant to section 32.117;
[(12)] (14) "Job training", any type of instruction to an individual who resides in the state of Missouri that enables the individual to acquire vocational skills so that the individual can become employable or be able to seek a higher grade of employment;
[(13)] (15) "Neighborhood organization", any organization performing community services or economic development activities in the state of Missouri and:
(a) Holding a ruling from the Internal Revenue Service of the United States Department of the Treasury that the organization is exempt from income taxation pursuant to the provisions of the Internal Revenue Code; or
(b) Incorporated in the state of Missouri as a not for profit corporation pursuant to the provisions of chapter 355, RSMo; or
(c) Designated as a community development corporation by the United States government pursuant to the provisions of Title VII of the Economic Opportunity Act of 1964;
[(14)] (16) "Physical revitalization", furnishing financial assistance, labor, material, or technical advice to aid in the physical improvement or rehabilitation of any part or all of a neighborhood area;
[(15)] (17) "S corporation", a corporation described in Section 1361(a)(1) of the United States Internal Revenue Code and not subject to the taxes imposed by section 143.071, RSMo, by reason of section 143.471, RSMo;
[(16)] (18) "Workfare renovation project", any project initiated pursuant to sections 215.340 to 215.355, RSMo.
32.110. Any business firm which engages in the activities of providing physical revitalization, economic development, job training or education for individuals, community services, or crime prevention in the state of Missouri shall receive a tax credit as provided in section 32.115 if the director of the department of economic development annually approves the proposal of the business firm; except that, no proposal shall be approved which does not have the endorsement of the agency of local government within the area in which the business firm is engaging in such activities which has adopted an overall community or neighborhood development plan that the proposal is consistent with such plan. The proposal shall set forth the program to be conducted, the neighborhood area to be served, why the program is needed, the estimated amount to be contributed to the program and the plans for implementing the program. If, in the opinion of the director of the department of economic development, a business firm's contribution can more consistently with the purposes of sections 32.100 to 32.125 be made through contributions to a neighborhood organization as defined in subdivision (12) of section 32.105, tax credits may be allowed as provided in section 32.115. The director of the department of economic development is hereby authorized to promulgate rules and regulations for establishing criteria for evaluating such proposals by business firms for approval or disapproval and for establishing priorities for approval or disapproval of such proposals by business firms with the assistance and approval of the director of the department of revenue. The total amount of tax credit granted for programs approved pursuant to sections 32.100 to 32.125 shall not exceed fourteen million dollars in fiscal year 1999 and twenty-six million dollars in fiscal year 2000, and any subsequent fiscal year, except as otherwise provided for proposals approved pursuant to section 32.111, 32.112 or 32.117. All tax credits authorized pursuant to the provisions of sections 32.100 to 32.125 may be used as a state match to secure additional federal funding. Contributing funds to help finance a building or structure and any equipment necessary therein which is located within this state and used to sell or add value to agricultural food products grown or produced in Missouri by family farm corporations, as defined in subdivision (5) of section 350.010, RSMo, family farms as defined in subdivision (4) of section 350.010, RSMo, and value-added agricultural products produced by eligible new generation cooperatives, as defined in section 348.430, RSMo. The total amount of tax credits allowed for programs described in the preceding sentence is two and one-half million dollars per fiscal year for fiscal years 2002 to 2006.
261.031. The marketing program currently known as AgriMissouri is renamed "Producer's Choice".
261.032. The director of the department of agriculture shall, for the use of the marketing division of the department of agriculture, develop and implement rules and regulations by product category for all Missouri agricultural products included in the producer's choice marketing program, formerly known as AgriMissouri, or any equivalent successor program. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated pursuant to the authority of this section shall become effective unless it is promulgated pursuant to chapter 536, RSMo.
261.037. 1. There is hereby created in the state treasury for the use of the marketing division of the state department of agriculture a fund to be known as "The Missouri Agricultural Products Marketing Development Fund". The general assembly shall appropriate to the fund from the general revenue fund one million three hundred thousand dollars for fiscal year 2002, one million dollars for fiscal year 2003 and seven hundred fifty thousand dollars for fiscal year 2006. All moneys received by the state department of agriculture for Missouri agricultural products marketing development from any source, including trademark fees, shall be deposited in the fund. Moneys deposited in the fund shall, upon appropriation by the general assembly to the state department of agriculture, be expended by the marketing division of the state department of agriculture for purposes of Missouri agricultural products marketing development as specified in this section. The unexpended balance in the Missouri agricultural products marketing development fund at the end of the biennium shall not be transferred to the ordinary revenue fund of the state treasury and accordingly shall be exempt from the provisions of section 33.080, RSMo, relating to transfer of funds to the ordinary revenue funds of the state by the state treasurer.
2. There is hereby created within the department of agriculture the "Citizens' Advisory Commission for Marketing Missouri Agricultural Products". The commission shall establish guidelines for the spending by the marketing division of the department of agriculture of all moneys in the Missouri agricultural products marketing development fund created pursuant to subsection 1 of this section. The guidelines shall focus on the promotion of the Producer's Choice or successor trademark associated with Missouri agricultural products which has been approved by the general assembly, and shall advance the following objectives:
(1) Increasing the impact and fostering the effectiveness of local efforts to promote Missouri agricultural products;
(2) Enabling and encouraging expanded advertising efforts for Missouri agricultural products;
(3) Encouraging effective, high-quality advertising projects, innovative marketing strategies, and the coordination of local, regional and statewide marketing efforts;
(4) Providing training and technical assistance to cooperative-marketing partners.
The commission shall establish a fee structure for sellers electing to use the producer's choice or successor trademark associated with Missouri agricultural products. Under the fee structure: (1) A seller having gross annual sales greater than two million dollars per fiscal year of Missouri agricultural products which constitute the final product of a series of processes or activities shall remit to the marketing division of the department of agriculture, at such times and in such manner as may be prescribed, a trademark fee of one-half of one percent of the aggregate amount of all of such seller's wholesale sales of products carrying the producer's choice or successor trademark; and (2) All sellers having gross annual sales less than or equal to two million dollars per fiscal year of Missouri agricultural products which constitute the final product of a series of processes or activities shall, after three years of selling Missouri agricultural products carrying the producer's choice or successor trademark, shall remit to the marketing division of the department of agriculture, at such times and in such manner as may be prescribed, a trademark fee of one-half of one percent of the aggregate amount of all of such seller's wholesale sales of products carrying the producer's choice or successor trademark. All trademark fees shall be deposited to the credit of the Missouri agricultural products marketing development fund, created pursuant to section 261.037. The commission may also create two additional trademark labels to be associated with Missouri agricultural products which are certified organic products and certified family farm produced products.
3. The marketing division of the department of agriculture is authorized to promote rules consistent with the guidelines and fee structure established by the commission. No rules or portion of a rule shall become effective unless it has been promulgated pursuant to the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo.
4. The commission shall consist of nine members appointed by the governor with the advice and consent of the senate. One member shall be the director of the market development division of the department of agriculture. At least one member shall be a specialist in advertising; at least one member shall be a specialist in agribusiness; at least one member shall be a specialist in the retail grocery business; at least one member shall be a specialist in communications; at least one member shall be a specialist in product distribution; at least one member shall be a family farmer with expertise in livestock farming; at least one member shall be a family farmer with expertise in grain farming and at least one member shall be a family farmer with expertise in organic farming. Members shall serve for four-year terms, except in the first appointments three members shall be appointed for terms of four years, three members shall be appointed for terms of three years and three members shall be appointed for terms of two years each. Any member appointed to fill a vacancy of an unexpired term shall be appointed for the remainder of the term of the member causing the vacancy. The governor shall appoint a chairperson of the commission, subject to ratification by the commission.
5. Commission members shall receive no compensation but shall be reimbursed for actual and necessary expenses incurred in the performance of their official duties on the commission. The division of market development of the department of agriculture shall provide all necessary staff and support services as required by the commission to hold commission meetings, to maintain records of official acts and to conduct all other business of the commission. The commission shall meet quarterly and at any such time that it deems necessary. Meetings may be called by the chairperson or by a petition signed by a majority of the members of the commission. Ten days notice shall be given in writing to such members prior to the meeting date. A simple majority of the members of the commission shall be present to constitute a quorum. Proxy voting shall not be permitted.
261.038. The marketing division of the department of agriculture shall create an Internet web site for the purpose of fostering the marketing of Missouri agricultural products over the Internet. The web site shall allow consumers to place orders for Missouri agricultural products over the Internet and shall enable small companies which process Missouri agricultural products to pool products with other such small companies.
261.110. 1. The department of agriculture shall develop standards and labeling for organic farming.
2. The department of agriculture shall adopt rules to implement the provisions of this section.
3. No rule or portion of a rule promulgated pursuant to the authority of this section shall become effective unless it has been promulgated pursuant to the provisions of chapter 536, RSMo.
Section 1. 1. Sections 1 to 3 of this act shall be known and may be cited as the "Farmland Protection Act".
2. The purpose of the farmland protection act shall be to:
(1) Protect agricultural, horticultural and forestry land;
(2) Promote the continued economic viability of agriculture, horticulture and forestry as a business;
(3) Promote the continued economic viability of those businesses dependent on providing materials, equipment and services to agriculture, horticulture or forestry; and
(4) Promote quality of life in the agriculture community.
Section 2. 1. The state or any political subdivision shall hold water and sewer assessments in abeyance, without interest, until improvements on such property are connected to the water or sewer system for which the assessment was made.
2. This section shall only apply to tracts of real property:
(1) Comprised of ten or more contiguous acres; and
(2) Used as agricultural or single family residential property or both; and
(3) Not in a platted subdivision.
3. At the time improvements on such property are connected to either the water or sewer system, the owner shall pay to the political subdivision an amount equal to the proportionate charge for the number of system lines connected to improvements on such property.
4. The owner shall not be charged based on the total cost of running the water or sewer assessments to or across the owner's real property. Rather, the assessment shall be based on:
(1) A reasonable hookup charge; and
(2) A proportionate charge for the number of improvements requested to be connected to such assessments in relation to the total capacity of the system; and
(3) The anticipated proportionate burden to the system.
5. The period of abeyance shall end when the owner exercises the option to connect to the improvements for which the assessment was made.
6. When the period of abeyance ends, the assessment is payable in accordance with the terms set out in the assessment resolution, so long as said terms are not inconsistent with sections 1 to 3 of this act. To the extent that such terms are inconsistent, the provisions of sections 1 to 3 of this act shall control.
7. Statutes of limitations are suspended during the time that any assessment is held in abeyance without interest.
8. The political subdivision responsible for assessments shall notify the owner of the amount proposed to be charged and the terms of payment for each improvement requested to be connected to said assessment. The notice shall:
(1) Be provided in writing to the owner at the address provided by the owner as the address for receiving receipt of notice;
(2) Be sent by certified mail, return receipt requested within forty-five days of receipt of the request for hookup from the owner;
(3) State in the body of the letter as follows: "As owner of the property proposed to be assessed, you have thirty days from the date of receipt of this notice to accept, in writing, the amount of the assessment stated herein or to appeal the amount to the circuit court of the county where the real property is located".
9. If the owner disputes the amount of assessment when the period of abeyance ends, the owner may appeal the amount of the assessment to the circuit court of the county in which the application was filed within thirty days of the receipt of the notice.
10. Nothing in this section is intended to diminish the authority of counties to hold assessments in abeyance.
Section 3. Property subject to the farmland protection act may not be taken in whole or in part by any political
subdivision of this state by eminent domain except after a public hearing pursuant to chapter 610,
RSMo.