Establishes the Joint Interim Committee on Drainage and Levee Districts
Summary
SCR 8 is a Senate Concurrent Resolution that creates the Joint Interim Committee on Drainage and Levee Districts. The resolution states that Missouri’s levee and drainage district laws are old, have not been revised in decades, and have generated complaints about inadequate notice and reassessment practices, especially in Southeast Missouri and other parts of the state. The committee is directed to study current law governing the creation, maintenance, and assessment methods of levee and drainage districts and to recommend changes to improve transparency and operations.
The resolution specifically highlights concerns from landowners, business owners, local governments, railroads, and other right-of-way owners who say reassessments have been arbitrary, produced large and unexpected increases, and lacked meaningful notice. It also identifies a desire for a reassessment formula tied to actual property values and a simpler appeals process that would not require an attorney, similar to property tax assessment appeals. The committee is temporary, expires on December 31, 2026, and must report its findings and recommendations to the General Assembly by that date.
Impact
SCR 8 does not directly change Missouri statutes; instead, it establishes a legislative study committee to review existing levee and drainage district laws and propose reforms. Its practical effect is to create a formal mechanism for examining how these districts are created, maintained, and assessed, with the potential to lead to future legislation affecting assessment procedures, notice requirements, and appeals. The resolution also authorizes the committee to request information from state agencies and provides for legislative staff support and expense reimbursement.
Sentiment
The overall sentiment reflected in the resolution is critical of the current levee and drainage district reassessment system and supportive of reform. The bill’s findings emphasize complaints about lack of notice, unfair or shocking assessment increases, and a need for more transparent procedures. At the same time, the resolution frames the issue as complex and in need of study rather than immediate overhaul, suggesting a measured, bipartisan approach focused on gathering facts and recommendations.
Contention
The main points of contention are the fairness and transparency of levee and drainage district reassessments, especially whether affected property owners receive meaningful notice and whether assessments are tied to actual property values. Business owners, local governments, railroads, and other right-of-way owners are identified as aggrieved by current practices, while some levee districts themselves are described as interested in a more transparent process. The resolution also implies disagreement over whether current reassessment methods are arbitrary and whether a simpler, attorney-free appeals process should be adopted.