SB 865 - This act would give a school district, municipality or county the power to remove itself from a redevelopment plan or project, if it adopts such an ordinance or resolution prior to the adoption of the redevelopment proposal.

The ordinance or resolution of removal shall be presented to the commission which hears the redevelopment proposal within 30 days of the public hearing, and the commission shall, at that time, remove such school district, municipality or county from the redevelopment provisions.

This act also changes the definition of a "blighted area", which currently is defined in terms of unsanitary and unsafe conditions which may endanger life or property.

Under this act, a "blighted area" is defined by:

1. General characteristics - poverty, unemployment, and general distress;

2. Income levels - 65% or more of the income levels below 80% of the median income;

3. Unemployment - unemployment exceeding one and one half times Missouri's average rate of unemployment over the previous year, or if the full-time employment of area residents is less than 50% of the statewide percentage.
TOM CRAWFORD