The amendment of most concern in HB 2062 adds the legislative language from SB 985 enacts provisions regarding deed restrictions, covenants, or similar agreements running with the land prohibiting ownership or pasturing of chickens. If HB 2062 is enacted, it will overturn your community’s existing covenants regarding the pasturing of backyard chickens and take vital future decision-making power away from homeowners and replace it with a government mandate. Each community association is unique, and they should be given the leeway to make reasonable rules and regulations which make the most sense for their homeowners. HB 2062 is yet another example of unnecessary government overreach- there is no immediate risk if the bill is not enacted, and yet the legislature has chosen to come in to your community and rewrite the rules that you and your neighbors agreed to.
Additionally, Missouri’s constitution requires that amendments to legislation be related to the original intent of the legislation and not change the original purpose of the bill; HB 2062 was introduced to prevent local governments from enacting a moratorium on eviction proceedings without prior state authorization. As the legislature continued its work, instead of passing multiple pieces of legislation covering unique topics, state lawmakers decided to bundle unrelated bills together via amendments and pass large, unwieldy omnibus bills.
Please, let Governor Parson know that HB 2062 cannot stand- it is unconstitutional, and it replaces community decision making with unnecessary government mandates!