Legislative Report
Ron Reiling, MWACA Lobbyist/St. Louis Liaison
The Missouri 2023/2024 Regular Legislation Session ended Friday May 17, 2024. The Bills that we watched are listed below. The Missouri State Safety Inspection Program came away unchanged after several attempts to weaken the program were proposed.
HB1507 received the most attention from the media and sparked a couple of good meetings with State Legislators. We sent an email of Opposition to all 163 Missouri House of Representatives members. The bill wanted to make repair facilities responsible for making sure vehicles registration is current and if not would be fined if making repairs. (see below for full text) We met with Representative Bangert (D) the bill sponsor and explained our opposition to this bill. We also provided her with emails from members regarding how often a vehicle with expired temporary tags comes in for repairs and it just isn’t a large enough problem to require legislation. She was very receptive to our concerns. We also met with Representative Wilson (R) he is a member of the Special Committee on Government Accountability which is the committee that the bill was referred to. Mike Moehlenkamp, Garys Auto Service and St. Louis Chapter VP joined me for this meeting. Another great experience and opportunity to express our concerns. We are building relationships with our legislators and they know they can depend on us to give them accurate information regarding the automotive service and repair industry.
HB 1507 — MOTOR VEHICLE REPAIRS– SPONSOR: Bangert (D) OPPOSED This bill requires that prior to repairing or performing maintenance on a motor vehicle, the person or business performing the repairs or maintenance must verify that the vehicle’s registration is current under Section 301.020, RSMo. If the motor vehicle registration is not current, the repairs or maintenance work cannot be performed. Failure to verify that the motor vehicle registration is current can result in a fine of up to $300 per violation. The registration verification requirement and fine will not apply if the motor safety vehicle inspection requirements under Chapter 307. Bill died in House Committee without a hearing.
HB 2779 — MOTOR VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTIONS -SPONSOR: Chappell (R) OPPOSED Currently, safety inspections are not required for registration of a motor vehicle having less than 150,000 miles for the 10 year period following the model year of manufacture. This bill changes that exemption to motor vehicles having less than 150,000 miles and are model year 2012 or newer. Bill died in House Committee without a hearing.
HB 1607 — DAYLIGHT SAVINGS TIME – SPONSOR: Van Schoiack (R) This bill specifies that on November 5, 2024, the State of Missouri shall set clocks back to Standard Time. The State shall no longer participate in Daylight Saving Time and shall stay in Standard Time during that portion of the year. If the federal government adopts Daylight Saving Time as the new Standard Time, the State of Missouri shall set clocks to conform with federal time, Bill passed out of committee but did not return to the House floor again for final passage.
HB 1499 — MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTIONS – SPONSOR: Bangert (D) This bill requires that a used motor vehicle be inspected according to statute prior to being sold, but not more than 60 days prior to the date of purchase. The seller must give the buyer the certificate of inspection and approval, and the buyer must submit the certificate when applying for registration of the vehicle. The bill requires that the inspection be at the seller’s expense. The inspection is not required for vehicles having less than 40,000 miles for the three-year period following the model year of manufacture. Bill died in House Committee without a hearing.
HB 1530 — VEHICLE SAFETY INSPECTIONS – SPONSOR: Buchheit-Courtway (R ) OPPOSED This bill provides that safety inspections required by law may be made by employees of a licensed new or used motor vehicle dealer for motor vehicles having fewer than 50,000 miles, for the three year period following the motor vehicle’s model year of manufacture, and the same fee will be collected as for an inspection station. The bill also requires that a seller must provide a buyer with a safety inspection obtained not more than sixty days before a sale, and the buyer must include the inspection form when applying for registration of the vehicle. This inspection is not required on a vehicle having fewer than 50,000 miles, for the three-year period following the motor vehicle’s model year of manufacture. Bill passed out of committee but did not return to the House floor again for final passage.
HB 1613 — REPEAL OF THE VEHICLE EQUIPMENT SAFETY COMPACT – SPONSOR: Van Schoiack( R ) This bill repeals the Vehicle Equipment Safety Compact that was dissolved in 1983. Bill died in House Committee without a hearing.
HB 2096 — MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION – SPONSOR: Bromley (R) Beginning January 1, 2025, the Director of the Department of Revenue will be authorized to issue to owners of motor vehicles with a model year of manufacture less than five years, other than as provided in the bill, the option of a five-year registration period if the fee collected is equal to the annual registration fee plus a pro rata amount for the additional years of the registration, and presentation of all documentation otherwise required by law for vehicle registration. Bill passed out of committee but did not return to the House floor again for final passage.
HB 2097 — BIENNIAL MOTOR VEHICLE REGISTRATION – SPONSOR: Bromley (R) This bill repeals the provision of law which requires that vehicles manufactured as an even-numbered model year must be renewed each even-numbered calendar year and that vehicles manufactured as an odd-numbered model year must be renewed each odd-numbered calendar year. Bill passed out of committee but did not return to the House floor again for final passage.
HB 2317 — MOTOR VEHICLE INSPECTIONS – SPONSOR: Knight (R) This bill requires that sellers of used motor vehicles have the vehicle inspected no more than 60 days prior to the date of sale, and the seller must provide the purchaser with a certificate of inspection and approval at the point of sale. The purchaser must submit this certificate when registering the vehicle. The inspection requirement will not apply for the sale of motor vehicles having less than 40,000 miles for the three-year period following the model year of manufacture of the vehicle. The bill also provides that emission inspections will not be required for vehicles that are exempted from the safety inspection. This bill was passed out of committee and added to the House Informal Perfection Calendar and later removed.
SB 733 –Eigel (R) (LR# 4160S.01I) – Modifies provisions relating to personal property taxes Current law requires that personal property be assessed at 33.3% of its true value in money. This act requires political subdivisions to annually reduce such percentage such that the amount by which the revenue generated by taxes levied on such personal property is reduced is substantially equal to one hundred percent of the growth in revenue generated by real property assessment growth, as defined in the act. Annual reductions shall be made until December 31, 2073. Thereafter, the percentage of true value in money at which personal property is assessed shall be equal to the percentage in effect on December 31, 2073.
Subject to appropriations, a political subdivision that receives less than the allowable amount of total real and personal property tax revenues shall be eligible for reimbursement from the state in an amount equal to the amount by which such revenues are below the allowable amount. Bill died in committee after hearing.
SB 1276 – Hough (R) This act prohibits devices intended to replace a component of a motor vehicle’s supplemental restraint systems, as defined in the act, if the replacement is counterfeit, nonfunctional, or not designed in accordance with federal safety regulations.
Violations of the act shall be enforceable under the Missouri Merchandising Practices Act. Bill died in Senate Committee without a hearing. Bill died in Senate Committee without a hearing.
