Missouri Senate approves bills limiting local landlord-tenant ordinances; 21-9 vote sends measures back to House

The Missouri Senate on Tuesday approved House bills 595 and 343, measures lawmakers said would prohibit counties and cities from enacting, maintaining or enforcing certain local ordinances related to landlords and tenants. The measures passed on a 21-9 roll call and now return to the Missouri House of Representatives for further consideration.

Senator Nick Schor of Defiance, the bill handler in the upper chamber, presented the measures to the floor. During debate, a speaker on the floor said, "Our founders held that property rights were central and not only the prosperity of our nation, but the freedom of its people." The transcript does not identify that speaker by name.

Senator Patty Lewis of Kansas City said she had reservations about the bills and noted opposition from her city. "And I definitely have some concern. The city where I come from, you know, has adopted local ordinances, and they testified in opposition of this bill," Lewis said on the floor.

After the vote, the measures were returned to the House for further consideration, per standard legislative procedure when amendments or actions occur in the opposite chamber. The transcript does not specify whether the Senate adopted amendments or whether additional votes are required in conference.

The bills' text, as stated on the floor, would limit local authority over landlord-tenant ordinances; the transcript does not provide the full statutory language or detail specific exemptions. The record also does not specify whether the 21-9 margin met any heightened legal threshold for the measures.

No additional motions, amendments, or individual roll-call vote names were provided in the transcript excerpt.