Rep. Bill Owen

Maddy summaryThis bill establishes a uniform process for modifying residential mortgages, allowing changes like adjusting interest rates, extending repayment terms, or forgiving principal without affecting the mortgage's priority or requiring public recording. It covers specific modifications such as interest rate adjustments based on recognized indexes, payment schedule changes, or reductions in debt, while explicitly excluding changes to property encumbrances or mortgage transfers. The law ensures these modifications remain valid and enforceable without needing to be recorded in land records, preserving the mortgage's existing position relative to other claims. It applies to all covered modifications regardless of when the mortgage was created, streamlining the process for homeowners and lenders.

Maddy summaryHB 2117 designates a segment of State Highway H in Greene County as the "Gary D McCormack Nemo Macto Unus Memorial Highway" to honor the named individuals. The bill requires the Department of Transportation to install and maintain signage for this memorial highway, with all associated costs covered by the department. This is a commemorative resolution with no policy changes or direct impact on citizens or regulations. The bill is currently in early legislative stages (prefiled, first reading).

Maddy summaryHB 2118 would cap continuing education requirements for licensed certified public accountants (CPAs) at 120 hours over a three-year period (max 40 hours annually), with provisions to ensure requirements consider interstate practice barriers and allow hardship exemptions. It also exempts CPAs actively serving in the state legislature from annual requirements. The bill directly affects licensed CPAs and the regulating board by setting new standards for ongoing professional development. Currently pending in the legislature after being prefaced in December 2025, it has not yet become law.

Maddy summaryHB 3230 prohibits local governments from banning manufactured homes in residential zones where other single-family homes are allowed or imposing stricter rules on them than on traditional homes (e.g., lot size, foundation, or appearance). It defines "qualified manufactured homes" as those built within five years, meeting federal safety standards, having a minimum 900 sq ft living area, a 20-foot width or two-story height, and a masonry foundation. The bill requires local zoning rules for these homes to match those for standard homes and voids any discriminatory regulations. It directly affects manufactured home owners and local governments enforcing zoning laws in Missouri.

Maddy summaryHB 2898 modifies Missouri law governing how counties with land bank agencies handle tax-delinquent properties. It establishes new procedures for land bank agencies to acquire properties through tax sales after two years of unpaid taxes, replacing older rules. Key changes include restricting who can bid (barring current tax delinquents, land bank employees, and certain officials), requiring non-resident bidders to appoint a Missouri agent, and allowing counties to opt into this process. The bill directly affects counties operating land banks, potential property buyers, and tax collectors managing these sales. It focuses on streamlining land bank acquisitions while adding safeguards to prevent conflicts of interest in the bidding process.

Maddy summaryHJR 153 proposes a constitutional amendment to change how judges are selected in Missouri courts. It would replace current election-based selection with a system where the governor appoints judges (with Senate approval) from a list of nominees recommended by a nonpartisan judicial commission. The amendment also establishes a new seven-year term for all judges, including circuit and associate circuit judges, instead of varying terms under current law. Voters in certain counties could later choose through a ballot measure whether to maintain this appointment system or revert to elections. This change would affect all judges serving in Missouri's circuit courts, associate circuit courts, and higher courts, with the proposal requiring voter approval in the 2026 election.

Maddy summaryThis bill requires regular inspections of fire safety dampers (devices that prevent fire/smoke spread through HVAC systems) in most non-residential Missouri buildings, excluding small homes. It mandates an initial inspection within 12 months of installation and subsequent checks every four years, following NFPA standards with physical visual inspections required (not remote methods). Inspectors must hold specific ICB certifications or equivalent, and building owners must maintain compliance records, issue deficiency reports for failures, and post public verification notices. These requirements apply to commercial buildings, schools, hospitals, and other multi-use structures governed by Missouri political subdivisions.

Maddy summaryThis bill creates a dedicated "Division of Tourism Supplemental Revenue Fund" in Missouri's state treasury, funded primarily by a portion of sales taxes from tourism-related businesses (such as hotels, attractions, and travel services, identified by specific SIC codes). The fund's annual deposits are capped at $3 million more than the previous year's amount and are calculated using tourism sales tax revenue. Before spending from the fund, the Division of Tourism must submit a marketing strategy to legislative committees for review. The fund expires on June 30, 2020, and its money cannot be returned to the general revenue fund at the end of a biennium.

Maddy summaryHJR 119 proposes a constitutional amendment to change how judges are selected in Missouri. It would require the governor to appoint judges from three nominees provided by a nonpartisan judicial commission for vacancies in the supreme court, court of appeals, and St. Louis city/Jackson County circuit courts. For other judicial circuits, voters would decide at elections whether to adopt this appointment method (instead of the current system) or maintain the existing process, with changes allowed only once every four years. The amendment must be approved by voters in 2026.

Maddy summaryHB 2559 requires state agencies to obtain legislative approval before implementing new administrative rules that would cost over $250,000 annually for government, businesses, or individuals. Agencies must notify the Joint Committee on Administrative Rules and the full legislature, which must pass a concurrent resolution approving the rule before it takes effect. Rules not approved this way become invalid, with exceptions for federal compliance or funding requirements. This directly affects state agencies creating significant-cost rules and shifts authority to the legislature for final approval.