Protecting Businesses from Costly Mandates (HB 184)

Upon third reading and passage of HB 184, Perkins stated, “It’s a great day when we in the legislature can so clearly demonstrate our support for small business and the free market by not allowing burdensome and unfunded regulations to get in the way of creating jobs.” Perkins continued, “Small businesses, based on obvious free market principles, will install these charging stations when it is economically viable. Forcing them to do so before that time will be detrimental, not only to their business and employees, but to the community as a whole.”

Lawmakers approved legislation this week aimed at protecting businesses, schools, and churches from burdensome government mandates. By a vote of 105-36, the House approved HB 184 to prohibit local ordinances requiring businesses to pay for new electric vehicle charging stations.

The bill’s sponsor said his legislation comes in response to a trend that has seen municipalities mandate that small businesses, shopping centers, and churches install and pay for electric charging stations whenever they make improvements to their facilities. He said an ordinance in St. Louis County requires businesses to add and pay for electric charging stations even if they expand their parking lot.

The sponsor said, “Is it proper for a government to tell a business you have to do something that has nothing to do with your business? It will bring you no profit. It will bring you nothing. Which I think is not the role of government.”

He also noted that such requirements don’t appropriately belong in the category of building codes. “There are two things building codes are supposed to do. They’re supposed to give you safety and protect your health. This really has nothing to do with that,” he said.

HB 184 states that any political subdivision that adopts an ordinance, resolution, regulation, code, or policy that requires the installation of electric vehicle charging stations must pay all costs associated with the installation, maintenance, and operation of the stations. The bill also prohibits any political subdivision from requiring more than five electric vehicle charging stations per parking lot, or infrastructure for future installation of more than five vehicle charging stations, and the bill further states that such policies will only apply to parking lots with more than 30 parking spaces.

One supporter said he has seen the impact of the mandates in his area where businesses have put off making improvements to avoid the additional costs associated with installing charging stations.

He said, “They don’t even want to repave their parking lot because they have to put in 10 to 15 grand worth of electrical vehicle stations. They don’t have the money to do it. It’s an unnecessary mandate.” He added, “I think this helps our small businesses greatly.”

Another supporter added, “When a political subdivision is going to infringe upon the property rights of private business owners and private property owners I believe it is the duty of this body to step up and put a stop to that encroachment of power.”

HB 184 also prohibits any political subdivision from requiring any school or religious organization to install an electric vehicle charging station.

The bill’s sponsor told his colleagues, “I don’t think it’s the government’s responsibility to be the marketing department for General Motors and Chrysler, or BMW.”

He added, “Businesses develop their business, they develop their parking lots, for their customers, not as fueling stations. Let the free market fend for itself. If there’s a demand, it will be there.”

House Members Approve Proposal to Improve Pay for Kansas City Police Officers (HBs 640 & 729)

The Missouri House gave preliminary approval this week to a legislative proposal that would help the Kansas City Police Department attract and retain the very best law enforcement personnel. With a first-round voice vote, House Members approved legislation that would allow the department to offer better pay to officers and the chief of police.

HBs 640 & 729 would eliminate the current authorized salary ceiling for the Kansas City police chief and allow the Board of Police Commissioners to establish a salary ceiling by resolution. The bill would also eliminate the existing salary ceilings for police officers, computed according to rank, and empower the board to use the salary minimums as a base in pay ranges for officers in crafting their comprehensive pay schedule program.

The bill’s sponsor said it is important to put the power to establish a salary schedule in the hands of the Board of Police Commissioners rather than the hands of the state.

He said, “The hope with this bill is that they are going to set a very aggressive, competitive salary schedule from the chief all the way down to try to bring officers in to the Kansas City Police Department.”

The sponsor noted the Kansas City Police Department is currently down 254 police officers and is losing officers to surrounding areas where they can receive better pay.

He said, “I would like to see the best salary schedule in the Kansas City metro area. Hopefully we can use that to help with recruitment, and hopefully we can keep people on the force longer.”

Another provision in the bill would remove the current requirement that the Kansas City police chief be under 60 years of age. During discussion on the floor, members also approved an emergency clause that would allow the bill to go into effect immediately if it is approved by both chambers and signed into law.

The sponsor told his colleagues, “In 2022 we had the second highest homicide rate in the city’s history. We had 169 homicides last year in Kansas City. That is unacceptable. With so many officers we don’t have in the force, we need relief now. We need relief in Kansas City for the men and women who are daily out there protecting and serving.”

The bill now requires another vote in the House before moving to the Senate for consideration.

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