HCS SB 125 -- POLITICAL SUBDIVISIONS

SPONSOR:  Bentley (Hoppe)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Committee on Local
Government and Related Matters by a vote of 14 to 2 with 1
present.

This substitute changes laws regarding political subdivisions.

CEMETERIES

The substitute allows the conveyance of cemetery property, other
than ground in which human remains have been buried, back to a
county, city, town, or village after 50 years if the grave site
or property is unused or unclaimed.  The political subdivision
must give proper notice of proceedings to transfer ownership.

CITIES

The substitute allows Jefferson County to enact ordinances to
reduce conditions on property which constitute a public
nuisance.  The ordinances may state that if the owner does not
remove the nuisance within 7 days of notice, the building
commissioner may have the condition eliminated.  Cost will be
certified to the officer in charge of finance and added to the
annual real estate tax bill for that property as a personal debt
of the owner.

The City of Blue Springs is required to compensate the mayor at
a salary no less than the salary of a member of the General
Assembly.

Kansas City is allowed to enact ordinances to protect private
property from nuisance and property maintenance code
violations.  Punishment for the violation of these ordinances
may be a fine of up to $1,000 or imprisonment of up to one year
or both for each offense.

The substitute also requires a limited liability company that
owns unoccupied real property in Kansas City to file with the
city's clerk an affidavit listing the name and address of at
least one person who has management control and responsibility
for the property.

COMMUNITY IMPROVEMENT DISTRICTS

The substitute allows for the removal or relocation of property
in the Springfield Community Improvement District.  The removal
or relocation must be approved by the district board, and public
hearings must be held.  The district must be able to meet
financial obligations without the revenue generated by the
property.

The law regarding sales taxes for community improvement
districts in Kansas City is clarified.

ENTERPRISE ZONES

The substitute allows any employee of a new SIC 3751 business
facility (e.g., Harley-Davidson) located in an enterprise zone
to be considered a resident of the enterprise zone, even if he
or she eventually moves out of the enterprise zone, as long as
certain conditions are met.

The definition of "revenue-producing enterprise" is expanded to
include hotel and motel activities in the city of Salem.  Hotel
and motel activities in the city of Salem will not be eligible
for state enterprise zone tax credits but will be eligible for
the real property improvements exemption, regardless of the
number of new jobs created or maintained.

WATER DISTRICTS

The substitute allows municipalities and public water supply
districts to develop territorial agreements to provide water
service to certain areas within districts that are annexed by
municipalities.  An annexed area must not be receiving water
service from either the municipality or the district at the time
of the annexation, and the agreement must be developed within 6
months after the annexation.  Agreements may also be developed
for areas annexed between January 1, 1999, and August 28, 2001,
but not receiving water service on August 28, 2001.  If a
municipality and a water district cannot reach an agreement,
either can request that 3 commissioners of the local circuit
court develop an agreement.

The substitute also repeals provisions that allow residents of
Franklin County to remove themselves from a public water supply
district if the district was not providing water service.

OTHER

The substitute limits the amount of small business tax credits
available to businesses engaged in pharmaceutical research and
development to no more than $1 million of the total amount of
tax credits available.

Persons or entities in Franklin, St. Charles, St. Louis,
Jefferson, and Warren counties and the City of St. Louis are
authorized to erect weekend directional signs on certain state
highway property.

FISCAL NOTE:  Cost to Road Fund of Unknown in FY 2002, FY 2003,
and FY 2004.  Cost to General Revenue of $0 to $200,000 in FY
2002, FY 2003, and FY 2004.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that some areas in community
improvement districts don't fit the objective of the district.
There should be a way to remove them.

Testifying for the bill was Senator Bentley.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Steve Bauer, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated November 26, 2001 at 11:47 am