The Missouri Senate gave final approval Wednesday to a bill that would prevent cities from enacting certain renter protections.
House Bill 595 was prompted by local legislation in some communities, most notably Kansas City, which bans landlords from denying leases to renters on the grounds that they receive housing assistance.
The bill would prevent cities from banning that practice, sometimes called source-of-income discrimination. One of the most common types of housing assistance are federal Section 8 housing vouchers, which allow low-income renters to have a portion of their rent covered by the government.
Supporters of the bill say it's necessary to protect property owners' rights to not be forced into accepting tenants.
"We've seen some political subdivisions saying, 'You can't take this into account, you're going to be fined, there could be some criminal repercussions if you deny somebody based upon these parameters,'" said Sen. Nick Schroer, R-Defiance.
The bill would also prevent cities from restricting landlords from considering other factors, such as eviction history or credit score, when deciding whether to lease to a tenant.
Additionally, it would keep cities from setting limits on security deposit amounts.
Opponents say that in passing bills to override local ordinances, the state government is overstepping its bounds and undermining local control.
"This bill seems like a direct attack at one of the cities that I represent," said Sen. Patty Lewis, D-Kansas City.
The bill passed the Senate by a vote of 23-10. It now goes to the governor's desk.
The River City Journalism Fund supports St. Louis Public Radio's Statehouse internship. Evy Lewis is the 2025 reporting intern. See rcjf.org for more information about the fund, which seeks to advance journalism in St. Louis.
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