Missouri House Bill HB1515

Missouri 2025 Regular Session

• Introduced: 2/27/25
• Refer: 5/15/25

Caption

Establishes the "Missouri Small Business Property Crime Prevention Grant Program"

Impact

The bill outlines a structured approach for the distribution of grants, mandating the Department of Economic Development to administer the program. Eligible small businesses must have fewer than fifty employees and demonstrate a clear security need to qualify for funding. The grants, capped at one thousand dollars per business per fiscal year, can be used for expenses tied to security enhancements or for repairing damages from criminal activities. This initiative marks an effort to alleviate some of the aforementioned vulnerabilities through state-sponsored financial assistance.

Summary

House Bill 1515 establishes the 'Missouri Small Business Property Crime Prevention Grant Program'. This program is designed to assist small businesses in enhancing their security measures against property crimes. Through this initiative, small businesses can apply for grants aimed at funding physical security upgrades and repairing damages incurred during property crimes. The intent of the bill is to improve safety for local businesses, which can often be vulnerable to crime, thus fostering a more secure operating environment.

Contention

While many stakeholders see the bill as a proactive step towards supporting small businesses and reducing crime, there may be debates over the adequacy of the funding and the eligibility criteria. Critics may argue that the cap on grants is too low to effectively mitigate criminal damages. Furthermore, the bill introduces a sunset provision that could lead to the program's termination after six years unless reauthorized, which raises concerns about the long-term sustainability of the support being provided to small businesses in the state.