Missouri Governor signs public safety bill into law

(JEFFERSON CITY, MO) – This morning, during a bill signing at the State Capitol, Governor Mike Parson signed four bills into law: House Bill (HB) 2057, Senate Bill (SB) 894, SB 756, and SB 754.

“We are proud to sign these bills today, demonstrating the General Assembly’s and Governor’s Office’s commitment to good governance,” Governor Parson said. “We are especially proud to finally get Blair’s Law across the finish line once and for all. Unrelated provisions forced our hand in preventing passage last year, but this year, we celebrate a yearslong effort by Blair’s family and friends to help ensure such a tragedy doesn’t happen again.” 

The four bills Governor Parson signed into law are as follows:

• HB 2057 – municipal franchise fees for video service providers
  • Exempts streaming providers (e.g. Netflix) from paying separate local use fees in addition to those already levied on video service providers. 
• SB 894 – promotion of business development.
  • Establishes the Right to Start Act, Small Business Regulatory Fairness Act, Office of Entrepreneurship, and Regulatory Sandbox Act.
• SB 756 – clarifies the language of SB 190 (passed last year) for political subdivisions when providing property tax relief to seniors. 
• SB 754 – relating to public safety.
  • Establishes Blair’s Law, Max’s Law, and Valentine’s Law. 
  • Ensures matching punishment under the law for drug trafficking of crack cocaine and powder cocaine. 
  • Creates stricter punishments for armed criminal action, repeat offenders, endangering the welfare of a child, and unlawful firearm possession. 

Parson signed another five bills into law: House Bill (HB) 1912, Senate Bill (SB) 872, HB 2134/1956, HB 2062, and SB 895.

“We thank Missouri legislators and the bill sponsors for getting each of these quality pieces of legislation to my desk,” Governor Parson said. “Together, these bills represent our efforts to ensure a cleaner environment, a more simple and fair tax code, and, above all, our commitment to standing with Missourians in safeguarding their personal property rights against squatters and those whose aim to take what others have worked hard to achieve.” 

The five bills Governor Parson signed into law are as follows:

• HB 1912 – taxation of past-through entities. 
  • Clarifies how s-corporation resident income tax credits are determined and applied. 
  • Clarifies processes and provides definition changes for the SALT Parity Act. 
• SB 872 – taxation of utility infrastructure.
  • Extends the Small Wireless Facility Development Act.
  • Provides an income tax deduction for federal broadband grants.
  • Provides a sales tax exemption for electricity production, extending current exemptions to cooperatives and smaller companies.
• HB 2134/1956 – relating to water pollution.
  • Corrects existing loopholes in state law regarding application of certain industrial waste byproducts on agricultural land by changing facility definitions, expanding regulations on industrial waste storage, establishing a Nutrient Management Technical Standard, and requiring annual sampling. 
• HB 2062 – relating to the use of real property. 
  • Establishes the Protecting Missouri’s Small Businesses Act. 
  • Strengthens the rights of personal property owners against squatters. 
  • Restricts Home Owner’s Associations from prohibiting backyard chicken flocks. 
  • Prohibits local government from requiring churches and nonprofits to install electric vehicle charging stations. 
• SB 895 – relating to landlord-tenant actions.
  • Provides that no county, municipality, or political subdivision shall impose or enforce a moratorium on eviction proceedings unless specifically authorized by federal or state law.

For additional provisions and more information on the legislation signed into law, visit senate.mo.gov or house.mo.gov.