HB 350 -- Economic Development, Local Government

Sponsor:  Rizzo

This bill makes several changes relating to economic development
and local government activities.  In its main provisions, the
bill:

(1)  Changes the amount of tax credits used for programs of
neighborhood organizations as defined in Section 32.105(15)(d)
RSMo, the Neighborhood Assistance Act, to $2.5 million for
Fiscal Year 2002 and increases the amount to $5 million per
fiscal year beginning in Fiscal Year 2003 and ending in Fiscal
Year 2006;

(2)  Allows the Commissioner of Administration to provide a 5%
bidding preference for agricultural food products produced by an
eligible new generation cooperative;

(3)  Allows any county of the first classification with a
population ranging from 120,000 persons to 170,000 persons and
any county of the third classification with a population ranging
from 21,900 persons to 23,000 persons to impose by ordinance or
order, a local sales tax as governed by Sections 144.010 to
144.525.  The revenue from the collection of the sales tax will
be deposited in the Local Economic Development Sales Tax Trust
Fund;

(4)  Requires landlords who lease real property in the City of
St. Louis beginning January 1, 2001, to submit a registration
form and other relevant information to the governing body of the
City of St. Louis in order to enhance compliance with municipal
safety and code regulations.  Landlords owning or leasing 5 or
fewer lots or properties are exempted from this requirement and
single properties will not be charged a registration fee greater
than $25.  This provision will expire on January 1, 2006;

(5)  Prohibits municipalities who have municipally-owned or
-operated water service from purchasing any part of a public
water supply district that is located wholly outside the
boundaries of the municipality beginning August 28, 2001;

(6)  Increases the population requirement of a designated
enterprize zone which is not within a metropolitan statistical
area to 25,000 inhabitants;

(7)  Establishes the Family and Community Trust Act and
specifies the composition of the board of directors, selection
of private sector members, and the purpose, powers, and duties
of the trust;

(8)  Establishes the Family and Community Trust Legislative
Oversight Committee and specifies the selection and composition
of the members and duties of the committee;

(9)  Adds cemetery lots owned by counties which can be conveyed
by deed and allows the fee simple right to be revested according
to stated procedures;

(10)  Requires that any person who destroys or defaces
structures within any private burial ground or any abandoned
family cemetery be charged with institutional vandalism as
defined in Section 574.085;

(11)  Allows the Attorney General to file a petition in the
circuit court of Cole County or any county within which an
abandoned cemetery is located in order to dissolve the ownership
of the cemetery and transfer ownership of the cemetery according
to stated procedures;

(12)  Adds local housing corporations or neighborhood
associations to the class of entities which can apply to a court
of jurisdiction for the appointment of a receiver to perform an
abatement of properties which violate building or housing
codes.  Additional procedures are stated pertaining to the
receivership of such properties;

(13)  Requires landlords of mobile homes or manufactured homes
land lease communities to provide written notice to tenants at
least 180 days prior to requiring such tenants to vacate the
property due to a change in use of the property.  If greater
than 180 days remain on a current lease, the longer time period
will apply to the requirement of providing the notice.
Landlords are prohibited from increasing the rents as stated;

(14)  Removes the definition for "low and moderate income
housing" from Section 447.620, the provisions pertaining to
Temporary Possession of Real Property for Rehabilitation;

(15)  Adds Sections 260.211 and 260.212 to the definition of
"criminal activity" contained in Section 513.605 of the Criminal
Activity Forfeiture Act.  The enforcement of this provision
expires on August 28, 2003;

(16)  Revises the provision pertaining to a cause of civil
action contained in Section 537.523 for persons who violate
Section 574.085, the crime of institutional vandalism or when a
defendant's sentence is enhanced as contained in Section 557.035;

(17)  Revises certain definitions and a penalty for
"institutional vandalism";

(18)  Contains provisions pertaining to the establishment of an
Economic Incentives Program; and

(19)  Requires the Missouri Housing Development Commission to
establish a pilot project with the City of St. Louis for the
purpose of renovating abandoned houses in St. Louis which will
be sold to persons with incomes at or below 300% of the federal
poverty level.  This provision expires on January 1, 2007.

Missouri House of Representatives
Last Updated November 26, 2001 at 11:43 am