Senate advances bill to change county financial reporting, permit one-time penalty reductions

The Missouri Senate perfected and ordered printed Senate Bill 2 on a voice vote Tuesday, advancing legislation that would change when and how many counties publish annual financial statements and give the director of revenue new discretion to reduce uncollectible fines imposed on political subdivisions.

Senate Bill 2, sponsored on the floor by the Senator from Dallas, would let second-, third- and fourth-class counties file an abbreviated annual financial statement (an option already available to first-class counties), require counties to supply an electronic copy of the full financial statement to publishers at no charge, prohibit publishers from charging above a normal rate for the notices, and move the statutory publication date from early March to June 30. The bill also would authorize the Missouri Department of…