Department News GOVERNMENTAL RELATIONS
New State Session Brings Host of Measures Affecting Banking Community By David Kent, Vice President of Legislative and Advocacy Programming
Missouri’s 101st General Assembly is underway, with lawmakers being sworn-in Jan. 6 followed by the governor’s inauguration Jan. 11 and the State of the State address Jan. 27.
Already a dominating factor on the 2021 regular legislative session is COVID-19. Not even three weeks into the session, the Missouri House of Representatives paused activities aſter several members tested positive for the virus. It is because of this and with your safety in mind that MBA staff will adjust our state advocacy efforts, specifically the Target Banker program.
MBA’s Target Banker program provides an opportunity to meet with your legislators at the Capitol. However, this year we will facilitate other ways to communicate with your state representatives and senators, including phone calls and emails, virtual meetings and in-person meetings in your communities. Connecting freshmen legislators with their local bankers also will be a priority as we begin developing relationships with new lawmakers. We will be in touch to help determine the best way for you and your bank to participate, or feel free to contact Emily Lewis at
elewis@mobankers.com with any questions.
Tere is plenty of legislation to discuss with lawmakers this year. MBA’s agenda includes modernizing the state banking statute (Senate Bill 106), updates to the consumer loan act (House Bill 571, Senate Bill 385) and bringing the state Uniform Commercial Code Chapter 3.309 in line with current uniform law (House Bill 518, Senate Bill 359).
We thank the legislators sponsoring these measures, including Reps. Bill Owen, R-Springfield; Terry Tompson,
R-Lexington; Dan Shaul, R-Imperial; and Sens. Paul Wieland, R-Imperial; Sandy Crawford, R-Buffalo; and Justin Brown, R-Rolla.
Other bills supported by the MBA include reforms to the residential Property Assessed Clean Energy program (House Bill 697, Senate Bill 105), COVID liability protections for businesses (Senate Bill 51) and a technology fee that will allow the Missouri Department of Revenue to upgrade their computer system and implement an electronic lien and title system (House Bill 788).
Several bills have been filed that would be harmful to the industry and are opposed by MBA. Tese include a bill to require a lender to collect and remit sales tax on a car if the sales tax was part of the finance agreement (House Bill 235, Senate Bill 273) and a mandate on financial institutions to serve kratom businesses (House Bill 350). (Kratom is a tree that grows naturally in southeast Asia. Its leaves are used for medicinal purposes and as a recreational drug. It contains a chemical called mitragynine that works like opioid drugs, such as codeine and morphine, to relieve pain. Kratom is banned by some U.S. states because of safety concerns.) And, as always, there will be new issues that emerge throughout session that will require our attention.
For more information on legislation, please visit mobankers. com or contact me at
dkent@mobankers.com.
On behalf of MBA’s government relations team, thank you for your advocacy efforts. We look forward to working on your behalf in Jefferson City.
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