HB 2137 -- Relocation Assistance

Sponsor:  Wright-Jones (63)

This bill changes the laws regarding relocation assistance.
Currently, specific requirements are specified for a relocation
plan unless the property being acquired under Chapters 99, 100,
or 353 is subject to federal relocation standards.  This bill
adds property being acquired under Chapter 135 to these
requirements.

Currently, payments are required to be made to all eligible
displaced persons who occupy the property to be acquired for at
least 90 days prior to the initiation of negotiations.  The bill
changes this to 90 days prior to the execution of the
redevelopment agreement.

The bill expands the list of the relocation plan's requirements
to include a program to provide proper and timely notice to all
displaced persons whether or not they may be displaced.  The
notice must include a general description of their potential
rights and benefits if displaced, their eligibility for
relocation assistance, and the nature of that assistance.  The
information that must be included in the notice is specified.

Currently, handicapped people are given at least 90 days' notice
of referral sites prior to the date they must vacate.  Other
individuals must receive at least 60 days' notice.  The bill
requires that all displaced people receive at least 90 days'
notice.

All displaced persons eligible for payments currently must be
given relocation payments based on a fixed $500 payment or the
actual and reasonable costs of relocating.  The bill increases
the fixed payment to $1,000.

All displaced businesses eligible for payments currently must be
given relocation payments equal to a $1,500 fixed payment or the
actual and reasonable costs of moving.  The bill increases the
fixed payment to $3,000, increases the actual and reasonable cost
of moving to include up to $10,000 for re-establishment expenses,
and allows a fixed payment of $1,000 to $20,000 instead of moving
expenses if the business discontinues operations and does not
have another business location engaged in similar activities.
The amount of the $1,000 to $20,000 fixed payment is to be based
on the average annual net earnings for the two tax years prior to
the tax year in which the displacement occurs.  Multiple
businesses with a common ownership operating out of the same
location are only eligible for one payment.

A business owner may waive his or her relocation payment as part
of a negotiation for the acquisition of his or her business;
however, the bill specifies that a person who does this still
retains the right to receive the benefits of a program that
identifies suitable replacement facilities as well as the program
for providing proper and timely notice.

Missouri House of Representatives
93rd General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated November 29, 2006 at 9:45 am