At this writing, the Missouri Legislature is preparing to recess for the annual legislative spring break. The break begins Friday, March 10 and ends Sunday, March 19. It signals that, when the legislature reconvenes, there will only be eight weeks left in the 2023 session.

We are currently tracking 32 House and Senate bills and resolutions that are at various stages in the process. Four Senate bills on the track — SB 13, Regulation of Financial Institutions; SB 101, Lender Placed Insurance; SB 186, Crimes Involving Teller Machines; and SB 187, Commercial Financing Disclosure Act — have all passed the Senate and have been read a second time in the House. The HCS, HBs 903, et al. Foreign Ownership of Farmland has cleared the House and has been reported to the Senate. The foreign ownership of farmland issue is a hot button for business land transactions. The latest version of this bill vests the power to determine farmland ownership with the Secretary of State and the Attorney General. Currently, the law gives the determination to the Department of Agriculture.

These bills are ahead of the curve as they will be referred to committee after the break and, barring a meltdown in either chamber, have a good chance of passage this session. ■