2008-05-22 - Laserfiche WebLink

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BILLS OF MUNICIPAL INTEREST THAT PASSED: ... IMMIGRATION BILL The immigration bill, S.S.H.C.S.H.B. 1549 et.al., passed after several amendments supported by the MML. This bill: 1) Prohibits municipal sanctuary policies (which are figments of someone's imagination); 2) Each law enforcement officer must be given written notice of duty to cooperate with the state and federal government's enforcement of immigration laws; 3) Unlawful aliens shall not receive any public benefit. We successfully amended the bill to delete provisions requiring proof of citizenship before receiving any city license; 4) Anyone who receives a public contract over $5,000 must participate in the federal work authorization program. All public employers shall enroll and participate in the federal work authorization program. 5) The Attorney General may direct a city to suspend or revoked the business license of any business that violates the law; and 6) Unlawful aliens may not be granted bail when arrested for crimes. The MML amendment to provide state indemnification of local officials who enforce this statute was deleted from the bill by Senator Rupp, the Senate sponsor. ... SALES TAX HOLIDAYS.B. 1181 establishes a new state sales holiday from April 19-25, on energy efficient (energy star certified) appliances up to $1,500 per appliance. The tax holiday applies only to the state sales tax, but municipalities may "opt in" to the holiday by adopting an ordinance and sending it to the Dept. of Revenue 45 days before the holiday. The "opt in" provision was a victory for the MML. Please thank Sen. Engler and Rep. Sutherland for the "opt in" provision. A separate state sales tax holiday for any item up to $600 per item failed to pass. ... PROPERTY TAXESS.B. 711 (Gibbons) requires political subdivisions, in the year of reassessment, to roll back tax rates from the current rate, rather than the tax rate ceiling if the current rate is lower than the ceiling. In a non-reassessment year, the rate can be increased to the ceiling. Also, each political subdivision must provide the county with an estimated tax rate by April 8 annually (after the county provides data on assessed valuation) or be compelled to reduce the tax rate by 20 percent. The estimated tax rate requirement will take effect in charter counties in 2009 and in other counties in 2011. We will have a detailed article in the Missouri Municipal Review. ... THIRD CLASS CITIES EXPENDITURE PROCEDURESS.C.S.H.B. 1804 was passed and provides that in third class cities "the budget or any authorization to expend funds shall be approved by an ordinance, resolution, or motion that is approved by a majority of all the members elected to the governing body." We suspect that most third class cities do this now. BILLS OF MUNICIPAL INTEREST THAT DID NOT PASS: ... LANDLORD/TENANT JOINT LIABILITY FOR WATER/SEWER BILLSThe MML thwarted numerous efforts by Rep. Mike McGhee to repeal the authority for municipalities to hold the property owner and renter jointly liable for delinquent water and sewer bills. On the last night of the Session, Senator Jeff Smith prevented Rep. McGhee from amending Smith's bill on the House floor. Reps. Jake Zimmerman and Tom Villa strongly supported our position. Please thank Sen. Smith and Reps. Zimmerman and Villa. ... RED LIGHT CAMERASIn the last week, Rep. Portwood amended a large transportation bill to effectively prohibit municipalities from utilizing red light enforcement cameras. His