House panel backs municipal utility lien rules, adds counties to greenhouse code and advances county governance changes

The House Political Subdivisions Committee on Feb. 20 advanced three bills to the House floor, unanimously approving changes that expand municipal lien authority for certain unpaid utility fees, add county coverage for small agricultural greenhouses known as high tunnels, and alter options and districting rules for some county governments.

Representative Quinn Cutler, sponsor of House Bill 295 (second substitute), told the committee the measure responds to municipalities that have struggled to collect fees for utilities that cannot easily be shut off, such as stormwater and sewer. "When someone doesn't pay their fair share, other people have to pick up the tab," Cutler said, describing study findings that about 3% of accounts go more than three months past due and that using a lien process resolved roughly 90% of those cases in some districts.

Why it matters: Committee members and multiple local officials said the bill is intended to give local governments a narrow, predictable tool to collect unpaid utility fees without resorting to costly collection suits or repeatedly tying up city staff time. The committee adopted an amendment to require a longer notice period before a lien can be placed — changing the bill's 30‑day minimum to 60 days — and the sponsor said he will work with drafters and stakeholders on foreclosure and tax‑sale language before floor consideration.

Key provisions and testimony on HB 295: - Scope: The second substitute narrows lien authority to certain utilities that generally cannot be disconnected (stormwater and sewer) and in many cases includes water. Cutler said the language was narrowed at stakeholders' request. - Priority and collection: The bill aligns municipal lien interest/fees with the approach special service districts use; sponsors revised earlier…