Changes the law regarding industrial development corporations by terminating provisions applicable to only Lewis County
Summary
HB 3028 repeals and reenacts section 349.045, RSMo, governing the board of directors for industrial development corporations. The bill keeps the general rule that these corporations are governed by a board of at least five directors who are qualified electors and taxpayers in the county or municipality, serve without compensation other than expense reimbursement, and are appointed or elected under existing local procedures. It also preserves staggered terms and residency/taxpayer requirements for directors.
The main change is to eliminate a special set of provisions that applied only to a specific county arrangement, identified in the bill caption as provisions applicable only to Lewis County. For one narrow county classification, the bill temporarily allows township-based election of directors and related transition rules, but those special rules terminate after August 28, 2026, after which the general statewide director-qualification rules apply. In effect, the bill standardizes the governance rules for industrial development corporations by phasing out a county-specific exception.
Impact
HB 3028 amends Missouri’s industrial development corporation statute, section 349.045, by removing a county-specific governance framework and replacing it with a more uniform statewide structure. It affects how boards are constituted, who may serve as directors, and how directors are appointed or elected, while preserving local control through county or municipal appointment/election processes. The bill primarily impacts industrial development corporations, county and municipal governing bodies, and residents serving on those boards, especially in the county previously covered by the special exception.
Sentiment
The available context suggests the bill was generally noncontroversial and procedural in nature. It was reported do pass by the House committee, and there is no recorded vote or transcript indicating significant opposition or debate. The bill appears to have been treated as a technical cleanup measure to remove a locality-specific provision and align the statute more broadly with general rules.
Contention
The only notable point of contention implied by the text is the removal of a special governance arrangement that applied only to Lewis County, which may have been designed to preserve a local board structure during a transition period. Any concern would likely come from stakeholders in that county or from those favoring local autonomy over industrial development corporation board composition. Otherwise, the bill’s language is largely administrative and does not show broader policy conflict in the available record.
An act to amend Sections 24801, 24826, 24827, 24830, 24862, and 24908 of, to repeal Section 24861 of, and to repeal and add Section 24863 of, the Public Utilities Code, relating to transportation.