HCS SCS SB 932 -- COUNTY OFFICIALS

SPONSOR:  Scott (Wilson, 119)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass by consent" by the Committee on
Local Government by a vote of 14 to 0.

This substitute changes the laws regarding political
subdivisions.  In its main provisions, the substitute:

(1)  Allows a county commission to reject the transfer of title
of real property to the county by donation or dedication if it is
in the best interest of the county to do so.  The preparer of a
document donating or dedicating real property to a county cannot
submit the document for recording unless the grantee's acceptance
is proved or acknowledged (Section 49.292, RSMo);

(2)  Establishes the salary schedule for public administrators in
second, third, and fourth classification counties who choose to
be paid by salary and who are considered full-time county
officials as the base schedule for those officials, unless the
current salary is lower than the compensation in the schedule.
The lowering of county official salaries below the level being
paid on August 28, 2005, is retroactively prohibited, and any
action or vote doing so is voided (Section 50.327);

(3)  Authorizes the salary commission in Cape Girardeau County to
meet to determine whether to equalize the base salaries of the
treasurer and public administrator with the base salaries of the
auditor and recorder of deeds (Section 50.339);

(4)  Requires all charter counties to mail property tax
statements and receipts to taxpayers at least 30 days before
being due.  Currently, statements are required to be mailed at
least 15 days before the due date (Section 52.230);

(5)  Adds new requirements for candidates seeking the office of
county treasurer (Section 54.040);

(6)  Allows sensitive personal identifying information contained
in recordable documents to be redacted or removed by the preparer
of the document or the recorder of deeds (Sections 59.331 and
59.332);

(7)  Allows county commissions, at their discretion, to open a
county road and conclusively establishes the status as a public
road of any county road for which the county has received county
aid road trust funds for at least five years after January 1,
1990.  The county highway engineer is no longer required to
examine and approve a road or road change before the county
commission takes action on the road (Sections 228.040, 228.070,
and 228.190); and

(8)  Makes any term or provision in a contract unenforceable if
it requires a public administrator who is acting as a guardian to
personally pay or guarantee the debt of a ward or protectee
(Section 473.748).

FISCAL NOTE:  No impact on state funds in FY 2007, FY 2008, and
FY 2009.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that there are currently no
requirements for county treasurers, but there are for other
county offices.  The bill will help to ensure that qualified
candidates are elected.

Testifying for the bill were Senator Scott; and Missouri County
Treasurers Association.

OPPONENTS:  There was no opposition voiced to the committee.

Julie Jinkens McNitt, Legislative Analyst

Missouri House of Representatives
93rd General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated November 29, 2006 at 9:46 am