HCSHB1758--PUBLICLYOWNEDPROPERTY
SPONSOR: Copeland
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonRuralCommunityDevelopmentbyavoteof11to1.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
1758.
Thisbillspecifiesthatinany3rdor4thclasscountyinwhich
thefederalgovernment,thestate,thecounty,andthe
municipalities collectivelyownatleast20%ofallrealproperty,
anystateagencyorpoliticalsubdivision,exceptstatedepartments
ofagencieswithconstitutional authoritytoacquirerealproperty,
isprohibitedfrompurchasingorreceivingbydonation,gift,
bequestoranyothermethodanyadditionalpropertyunlessthe
countycommissionadoptsaresolutioninsupportofthepurchase.
ThisbillissimilartoHB1312(2021).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthereisacorrelationbetween
someofthepoorestcountiesinthestateandthepercentageof
publiclandinthecounty.Themannerinwhichstateandfederal
agenciescompensatelocalgovernmentsforthelosttaxrevenue
varieswidelydependingontheagencyandthedateinwhichthe
propertywasacquired. Thisbillwouldgivelocalgovernmentssome
sayinthelosttaxrevenue.
TestifyingforthebillwasRepresentative Copeland. Additional
writtentestimonywassubmittedinsupportofthebill.
OPPONENTS: ThosewhoopposethebillsaythatmanyMissourians
liketoenjoythebenefitsofpubliclandandthisbillwouldlimit
theirabilitybylimitingtheamountofpubliclandavailable.
TestifyingagainstthebillwasTylerSchwartze,Conservation
FederationofMissouri.Additionalwrittentestimonywassubmitted
inoppositiontothebill.
OTHERS:Otherstestifyingonthebillsaythatlandacquisitionby
theDepartmentofConservationincreasedafterthepassageofits
dedicatedsalestax.TheDepartmentisapproachedbymany
landownerswantingtotransfertheirlandtotheDepartment,but
theDepartmenthastofocusitsacquisitionsandonlyacquires2to 3tractseachyear.Inaddition,outdoorrecreationhasa
significantimpactontheeconomyofthestateandareainwhich
publiclandislocated.
TestifyingonthebillwasAaronJeffries,MissouriDepartmentof
Conservation. Additionalwrittentestimonywassubmittedfor
informationalpurposes.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonycanbefoundunderTestimonyonthebillpageon
theHousewebsite.