SB 297 - This act modifies provisions relating to the Missouri Propane Education and Research Council. Under current law, there are three ways for the director of the Missouri Energy Center to initiate a referendum on the abolishment of the Missouri Propane Education and Research Council and the fee for odorized propane. This act removes one of these three ways, which is at the discretion of the director. Current law allows vacancies on the council to be filled by the remaining members of the council, subject to the approval of the director. This act removes the requirement that the director must approve the appointment and instead requires the council to fill vacancies after a public nomination process. Current law requires the council to submit a budget plan to the director at the beginning of each fiscal period and requires the director to either approve or recommend changes to the budget after a public comment period. The act removes the director's involvement in the budget approval, and instead requires the budget plan be submitted for public comment at least 30 days prior to the beginning of each fiscal period, and authorizes the council to approve or modify the budget after the public comment period. The act removes the authority of the director to require additional reports from the council at his or her discretion beyond what is already required under current law. Authority to establish an alternative means to collect the odorized propane fee and set late payment charges is currently given to the director. This act transfers this authority to the council. The interest rate charged for late payments may not exceed the legal rate for judgments. The act removes provisions that allow the National Propane Education and Research Council to coordinate its operations with Missouri's council and that authorize Missouri's council to keep funds resulting from a federal rebate on propane fees. ERIKA JAQUES