JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – SB572, dubbed as the second act to last year’s SB5 offered also by Sen. Eric Schmitt, R-Glendale, passed unanimously in the Senate Tuesday.
SB572 seeks to modify provisions relating to municipal courts, local abatement ordinances, and disincorporation procedures.
Additionally, the bill sets a minimum standard by requiring an annual audit of St. Louis County municipality finances, sets nuisance abatement ordinances, removes liability from the state if a municipality is financially insolvent, prohibits municipal judges from serving on more than five courts, sets standards for disincorporation procedures, restricts height and weight limits in commercial zones in Lone Jack and Strasburg, and redefines terms and limits related to court costs.
If passed by the House and signed by the Governor, the bill would limit municipal ordinance violation fines and remove court costs for those deemed “indignent.”
Our historic efforts to end the practice of #TaxationByCitation continue. #moleg https://t.co/KskCOUKy4D
— Eric Schmitt (@Eric_Schmitt) May 10, 2016
The bill had a busy day, passing out of the House’s Fiscal Review Committee, then going to the House floor – where the House refused to adopt the CCR and requested further conference. The Senate granted the conference, a new CCR was offered and adopted and the bill was then taken up and passed by the Senate.
The bill now lies in conference.
Rachael Herndon was the editor at The Missouri Times and also produced This Week in Missouri Politics, published Missouri Times Magazine, and co-hosted the #MoLeg podcast. She joined The Missouri Times in 2014, returning to political reporting after working as a campaign and legislative staffer.
Rachael studied at the University of Missouri – Columbia. She lives in Jefferson City with her husband, Brandon, and their two children.
