JEFFERSON CITY 鈥 Missouri lawmakers advanced legislation Wednesday that would ban certain eviction moratoriums, arguing that the state has an interest in protecting property rights and the free market.
The bill, sponsored by Rep. , R-Kansas City, would ban eviction moratoriums not specifically authorized by state law. Brown said the measure was not an attempt to supersede federal orders, but would bar any local moratoriums.
狐狸视频 and 狐狸视频 County imposed local eviction moratoriums last year after the U.S. Supreme Court struck down a national moratorium imposed by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
People are also reading…
The measure received first-round approval by the House lawmakers Wednesday afternoon.
鈥淚 just want to make sure everybody knows I am absolutely not unsympathetic to individuals with housing insecurity,鈥 Brown said. 鈥淭hat is not it. This is not a callous attempt to try to throw people out of the rental property. It is simply the preservation of contract law and property rights.鈥
Brown argued while a federal moratorium made sense at the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, its continuation by local governments exacted unnecessary financial hardships on landlords and contributed to economic turmoil.
鈥淎ny time that the government jumps into a free market, there are unintended consequences,鈥 said Rep. , R-south 狐狸视频 County.
The federal moratorium was coupled with millions of dollars in rental aid, partially distributed directly to landlords.
Brown also contended the 鈥渇ree rent鈥 might have encouraged more tenants to fall behind in payments, leading to more evictions that could have been avoided. But, as of mid-March, evictions in 狐狸视频 and 狐狸视频 County have remained below pre-pandemic averages, .
Some Democrat representatives expressed concern that the proposal would infringe on local control.
鈥淒o I think that local governments and local communities should have the ability to make decisions for themselves?鈥 asked Rep. , D-狐狸视频. 鈥淵es. Especially in the situation of responding to an emergency.鈥
But Rep. , D-Liberty, said the bill should send the message that 鈥測ou have to pay your rent.鈥
The legislation is .