Small Business Lifestyle

A host of new laws take effect in Missouri on Wednesday, including one that comes from years of effort by one Kansas City-area family.SB 754, better known as Blair’s Law, outlaws “celebratory” gunfire statewide. Prior to its passage, it was up to a city ordinance. Now, that crime will be escalated to a state offense, which means harsher penalties for those involved. It’s been just over 13 years since Blair Shanahan Lane was dancing with friends and family members celebrating the Fourth of July. Then, someone celebrating the holiday fired gunshots into the air.What goes up must come down. Blair was struck and killed by one of those bullets. Blair’s mother, Michele Shanahan DeMoss, worked for more than a decade to push for stiffer laws against celebratory gunfire. “A bullet travels a long way, whatever way you fire it recklessly,” she said. “Firing a gun is not acceptable. And, you know, like I said, I just remind people, if you see it or hear it, do something about it.”HB 2062 takes on property rights in Missouri.Under the law, HOAs can no longer restrict the ownership of chickens in a neighborhood (however, cities can ban them) up to six chickens (no roosters) and a single coop. Another change in this law will create consistency in eviction laws across the state, banning cities, counties, and other municipalities from enforcing eviction unless the eviction qualified under state law. Home inspections will no longer be required as a condition of sale for certain older homes. And similar to the one Kansas City operates, all municipalities over 1,500 residents will be permitted to create land banks to revitalize vacant properties. HB 2634 bans Planned Parenthood from receiving any taxpayer money, along with any of its affiliates. This means abortion providers can’t receive public funds, including Medicaid reimbursements. Public funds were already banned from going towards abortions. This takes that ban further. SB 894 creates the Office of Entrepreneurship within the Missouri Department of Economic Development. The office is meant to “policies and initiatives to support the growth of entrepreneurship of Missouri-bases businesses” with less than 10 employees. This includes entrepreneurship within racial minority groups, women, and veterans. The bill also creates the “Regulatory Sandbox Act” which creates an office that will work to identify state regulations that could potentially be waived or suspended during a two-year period for participating businesses that demonstrate an “innovative product offering.”HB 2057 adds “streaming content” to the state’s definition of video services and makes sure streaming providers like Netflix or Hulu aren’t subjected to local taxes and franchise fees. The state argues that this will reduce costs for both municipalities and taxpayers.