Bill > HB2291

This bill establishes new procedural requirements for how political subdivisions (local government bodies) handle permit and approval requests for residential, commercial, or industrial building construction and renovation. Under the proposed legislation, political subdivisions must respond to requests within 30 calendar days, with any lack of response automatically deemed an approval. If a request is denied, the political subdivision must provide a detailed written explanation specifying either why a certified design professional's work is insufficient or exactly which code provision was violated. The bill also creates a structured process for handling incomplete requests, allowing applicants 10 calendar days to resubmit with missing information. Importantly, political subdivisions are restricted from introducing new denial reasons after an initial denial and cannot issue subsequent denials that include unrelated reasons not mentioned in the original denial. The time limit for review can reset only if an incompleteness notice is sent within 20 calendar days of receiving the initial request, and if such notice is sent later, the political subdivision then has 10 calendar days to approve or deny the application. These provisions aim to create more transparency, predictability, and efficiency in local government permitting processes.

Government Affairs

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB2291&year=2026&code=R