SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 1161
92ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR JACOB.
Read 1st time January 26, 2004, and ordered printed.
TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.
4162S.01I
AN ACT
To repeal sections 67.793 and 67.799, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof two new sections relating to regional recreation districts.
Section A. Sections 67.793 and 67.799, RSMo, are repealed and two new sections enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 67.793 and 67.799, to read as follows:
67.793. 1. Whenever the creation of a regional recreational district is desired, one hundred or more persons residing in the proposed district may file with the county clerk in which the greater part of the proposed district's population resides a petition requesting the creation of the regional recreational district. In case the proposed district is situated in two or more counties, the petition shall be filed in the office of the county clerk of the county in which the greater part of the proposed district's population resides, and the governing body of that county shall set the petition for public hearing and conduct such hearing. The petition shall set forth:
(1) A description of the territory to be embraced in the proposed district;
(2) The names of the municipalities located within the proposed district;
(3) The name of the proposed district;
(4) The population of the proposed district;
(5) The assessed valuation of the proposed district;
(6) The type and rate of tax proposed to be levied; and
(7) A request that the question be submitted to the voters residing within the limits of the proposed regional recreational district whether they will establish a regional recreational district pursuant to the provisions of sections 67.792 to 67.799 to be known as ". . . Regional Recreational District" for the purpose of establishing, operating and maintaining public parks, neighborhood trails and recreational facilities within the boundaries of the district.
2. Whenever one hundred or more persons residing in an area contiguous to an existing regional recreational district desire to become part of that contiguous district, such persons may file a petition with the county clerk of the county in which the greater part of the population within the proposed addition to the district resides, and the governing body of that county shall set the petition for public hearing and conduct such hearing. The petition for the addition to a district shall set forth the same facts required for the creation of such a district pursuant to subdivisions (1) to (7) of subsection 1 of this section, except that:
(1) Subdivision (6) of subsection 1 of this section shall only permit the imposition of a tax on the real property located within the addition to the district; and
(2) Subdivision (7) of subsection 1 of this section shall, in the petition for the addition, be a request that the question be submitted to the voters residing within the limits of the proposed addition to the ". . . . . . regional recreational district" as to whether or not they will become a part of the ". . . . . . . regional recreational district" for the purpose of establishing, operating and maintaining public parks, neighborhood trails and recreational facilities within the boundaries of such district.
3. The petition shall, after having been filed pursuant to this section, receive a hearing by the governing body of the county of filing pursuant to section 67.794.
4. The governing body of any county otherwise eligible to participate in a regional recreational district may directly authorize, by ordinance, the creation of a regional recreational district or an addition to an existing regional recreational district without the submission of a petition. The governing body of each such county shall, upon the enactment of such ordinance, submit the question of its approval to the voters in such county. If less than an entire county is proposed to participate in such a regional recreational district, the question may be submitted to the registered and qualified voters residing in the proposed [area, provided, that any regional recreational district which is supported by a sales tax shall be approved by the voters of the entire county] district, or if no registered and qualified voters reside in the proposed district, to the owners of the real property located within the proposed district. Any ordinance adopted by the governing body creating a regional recreational district supported by a sales tax but with no registered and qualified voters residing within the proposed district boundaries shall be unanimously approved by the owners of real property within the proposed district. The proposed district shall consist only of those counties, or portions of counties, where the governing body has approved an ordinance to create a district.
67.799. 1. A regional recreational district may, by a majority vote of its board of directors, impose an annual property tax for the establishment and maintenance of public parks and recreational facilities and grounds within the boundaries of the regional recreational district not to exceed sixty cents per year on each one hundred dollars of assessed valuation on all property within the district, except that no such tax shall become effective unless the board of directors of the district submits to the voters of the district, at a county or state general, primary or special election, a proposal to authorize the tax.
2. The question shall be submitted in substantially the following form:
Shall a . . . . . cent tax per one hundred dollars assessed valuation be levied for public parks and recreational facilities?
YES NO
If a majority of the votes cast on the proposal by the qualified voters voting thereon are in favor of the proposal, then the tax shall become effective. If a majority of the votes cast by the qualified voters voting are opposed to the proposal, then the board of directors shall have no power to impose the tax unless and until the board of directors of the district submits another proposal to authorize the tax and such proposal is approved by a majority of the qualified voters voting thereon.
3. The property tax authorized in subsections 1 and 2 of this section shall be levied and collected in the same manner as other ad valorem property taxes are levied and collected.
4. (1) A regional recreational district may, by a majority vote of its board of directors, impose a tax not to exceed one-half of one cent on all retail sales subject to taxation pursuant to sections 144.010 to 144.525, RSMo, for the purpose of funding the creation, operation and maintenance of public parks, recreational facilities and grounds within the boundaries of a regional recreational district. The tax authorized by this subsection shall be in addition to all other sales taxes allowed by law. No tax pursuant to this subsection shall become effective unless the board of directors submits to the voters of the district, at a county or state general, primary or special election, a proposal to authorize the tax, and such tax shall become effective only after the majority of the voters voting on such tax approve such tax. [Only whole counties participating in a regional recreational district shall be able to impose a sales tax pursuant to this subsection.]
(2) In the event the district seeks to impose a sales tax pursuant to this subsection, the question shall be submitted in substantially the following form:
Shall a . . . . cent sales tax be levied on all retail sales within the district for public parks and recreational facilities?
YES NO
If a majority of the votes cast on the proposal by the qualified voters voting thereon are in favor of the proposal, then the tax shall become effective. If a majority of the votes cast by the qualified voters voting are opposed to the proposal, then the board of directors shall have no power to impose the tax unless and until another proposal to authorize the tax is submitted to the voters of the district and such proposal is approved by a majority of the qualified voters voting thereon. The provisions of sections 32.085 and 32.087, RSMo, shall apply to any tax approved pursuant to this subsection.
5. As used in this section, "qualified voters" or "voters" means any individuals residing within the proposed district who are eligible to be registered voters and who have registered to vote under chapter 115, RSMo, or, if no individuals eligible and registered to vote reside within the proposed district, all of the owners of real property located within the proposed district who have unanimously petitioned for or consented to the adoption of an ordinance by the governing body imposing a tax authorized in this section. If the owner of the property within the proposed district is a political subdivision or corporation of the state, the governing body of such political subdivision or corporation shall be considered the owner for purposes of this section.