HCSHB2154--FIREPROTECTION
SPONSOR: Perkins
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonPublicSafetybyavoteof6to0.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
2154.
Thisbillspecifiesthatif,atanytime,acity,townorvillage
thatannexedanareathatwaspartofafireprotectiondistrict
spendsmorethan3%ofitsbudgettoprovidefireprotectiontothe
annexedarea,throughcontractedservicesorannexationfees,then
thecity,town,orvillagemustnolongerprovidefireprotection
totheannexedareanorimposetaxesforfireprotectionon
propertywithintheannexedarea.Thefireprotectiondistrict
willresumeprovidingfireprotectiontotheannexedareaandmay
imposetaxesforfireprotectiononpropertywithintheannexed
areaatthesamerateastherestofthefireprotectiondistrict.
Thebillalsorequiresanincorporatedcitytopayforthecostsof
installingafirehydrants,otherthanadryfirehydrant. Ifthe
citycannotordoesnotpaythecostofinstallationofthefire
hydrant,installationofthefirehydrantcannotberequired.
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthisdealswithunfundedmandates.
Citiesputrestrictionsonbuildingprojectsthatdonotneedto
takeplaceandthenpassthatcostontothebuilder. When
businesseswanttocometoacommunitytheyareoftenmetwitha
lotofredtapeandthecommunitypassescostsontothebusiness.
Thesponsorhasanexamplefromhisdistrictinwhichabusiness
ownerboughtpropertyfromthecityandthenoncehewasreadyto
startbuildingthecitytoldhimthathehadtopaytoputinfire
hydrants. Thesponsorthinksthatitunfairsincethecitydidnot
thinkfirehydrantswereneededwhentheyownedtheland.They
willnotlethimevenstartbuildinguntilthefirehydrantsare
putinandhethiswasnotintheagreementwhenthepropertywas
purchasedfromtheCity.Bydefinitionitisanunfundedmandate.
TestifyingforthebillwasRepresentative Perkins.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythattheycannotspeakto
theexamplediscussedbutthebilldoeshaveunintended
consequences. Thisisapublicsafetyissue.Whenundeveloped propertyisdeveloped,likebuildingasubdivision,etc,usually
thatistheresponsibilityofthebuildertoputhydrantsandwater
linesin.Citiescannotspendpublicmoneyforprivatepurposes.
Thiswouldapplytoallfirehydrantsinallsituations.
TestifyingagainstthebillwereTedMartin,CityOfBranson;City
ofSt.Peters;MehlvilleFireProtectionDistrict;Missouri
MunicipalLeague;MOAssociationofMunicipalUtilities;andArnie
C.ACDienoff.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonycanbefoundunderTestimonyonthebillpageon
theHousewebsite.