Missouri REALTORS
®,
Missouri’s legislative session ends in 33 days (counting all days, not just those in session). With tracking and reading amendments, substitutes and preparing for the April Business Conference, I need every one of the days.
On Wednesday, April 10, the House Economic Development Committee voted to pass out a substitute for HB 665, Low-Income Housing Tax Credits. It is substantially similar to the Senate Committee Substitute for SB 28, however, it includes the following in 135.352:
9. To aid in awarding credits under this section, the commission shall establish an evaluation rubric and score applications for qualified Missouri projects against the rubric. The commission shall publish the rubric before it accepts applications so that applicants may tailor their application to the rubric. The commission shall publish the scored rubric of each application.The MHDC has, for several years, used an informal scoring system and they are currently developing a more formal one, but it’s useful to have the language in the statute.
Those who voted for the bill:Representatives Beck, Carter, Coleman (32) Dinkins, Ellebracht, Fischel, Hannegan, Knight, Riggs, Shawan, Viet, and Washington.
Those who voted against the bill:Representatives Grier, Simmons, and Taylor. Representative Patterson was absent.
It’s a little unusual for a chairman to move a bill and then vote against it but Rep. Grier, in some personal comments after the vote, made it clear that he believes more reforms are necessary, including a reduction in the credit stream from ten years to six. The bill has been reported to the House Committee on Rules-Legislative Oversight, chaired by Rep. Rocky Miller.
On Thursday, April 11, the House, by a vote of 144 to 2, Third Read HB 106 (Immunity for real estate licensees dealing with area and square footage) and sent it to the Senate. The two Noes were Representative Maria Chappelle-Nadal and Representative Jeffrey Pogue. Note - when Chappelle-Nadal was in the Senate, she was active in filibustering a previous bill on the same subject, in addition to Rep. Pogue having a record of voting No on most legislation.
Next week, we should have a hearing on SB 36 (the Senate version of HB 106). I’ll be working on getting HB 106 assigned to a committee in the Senate for a hearing in an effort to get that moving. In a well-reported move, the Senate adopted the floor substitute for Senate Concurrent Resolution 14, Transportation Bonds. It now goes to Senate-Fiscal Oversight for consideration.
On a personal note, Missouri Times Magazine recently published
2019 100 List: Institutions by David Barklage, about Missouri REALTORS
® (mentioned 2nd to last). In addition, the cover features your longtime lobbyist [me] with a somewhat crooked bow-tie (
attached). I’m grateful to publisher Scott Faughn and editor Rachael Herndon Dunn for the recognition.
Sam Licklider
Chief Lobbyist, Missouri REALTORS
®