Another Missouri REALTORS® priority bill completed legislative passage last week, and the timing was positive, coming before the Senate adjourned for the session, two days ahead of schedule.
Thus, several measures strongly supported by REALTORS® have made it to Gov. Mike Kehoe’s desk for his consideration and action. If a bill is signed, unless there is an emergency clause making a bill effective upon the governor’s signature, or another date is explicitly stated, most new laws are effective August 28. A brief roundup:
BROKERAGE SERVICES: House Bill 596 won final House approval 153-2 and headed for the governor, just two days before the Senate halted work. HB596 requires a signed written contract with a buyer’s agent before real estate activities are performed on behalf of a client. It also adjusts language in state law to allow better adjustment to software used by the Missouri Real Estate Commission. The bill is sponsored by Rep. Chris Brown, R-Kansas City.
SECTION 8: House Bill 595, which bars local governments from mandating that property owners accept Section 8 housing vouchers, is on the governor’s desk. HB595 includes the language noted above from HB596 regarding buyer’s agent contracts, so REALTORS® have two opportunities to get that model legislation enacted by the governor, with both HB594 and HB596 sponsored by Rep. Chris Brown.
CAPITAL GAINS: Another REALTOR® legislative priority, House Bill 594, allowing Missourians to deduct capital gains taxes reported on federal taxes from their state taxes, is also awaiting action from Gov. Kehoe. HB594 was sponsored by Rep. Chad Perkins, R-Bowling Green.
REALTOR®-OPPOSED MEASURES: There was no movement before adjournment on several pieces of legislation opposed by REALTORS®, including efforts to ask voters to repeal the REALTOR®-backed ban on sales taxes on services. Also dying at adjournment were various measures to regulate foreign agricultural land sales and to raise the threshold of votes required to pass constitutional amendments from a simple majority.
To view additional resources and information, visit our Legislative Priorities and Updates page.