SPONSOR: Sassmann
COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Conservation and Natural Resources by a vote of 12 to 0. Voted "Do Pass" by the Standing Committee on Rules-Legislative by a vote of 8 to 1.
This bill requires that all seed distributers and dealers in the State submit to the Department of Agriculture an affidavit that the dealer will not knowingly or intentionally import, export, buy, sell, transport, distribute, or propagate any plant or seeds of Coloratus variety of climbing euonymus, any variety of Japanese Honeysuckle, any variety of Sericea Lespedeza, or perilla mint beginning January 1, 2027, or the Compactus variety of Burning Bush or any variety of Callery Pear beginning January 1, 2029.
The bill also corrects the scientific names of certain plants in the affidavit requirements for nurseries and nursery dealers.
PROPONENTS: Supporters say that this bill is clean up for SB 105, which the General Assembly passed last year. It also adds seed dealers to those who must agree to not sell the invasive plants. This will reduce the spread of nonnative invasive plants in Missouri.
Testifying in person for the bill were Representative Sassmann; Susan Henderson Moore, City of Columbia; Missouri Municipal League; Arnie Dienoff; Municipal League of Metro St. Louis; Richard Thom; The Nature Conservancy; Sierra Club, Missouri Chapter; Missouri Cattlemen's Association; and Conservation Federation of Missouri.
OPPONENTS: Those who oppose the bill say that these plants have health benefits and can treat certain diseases. In addition, this could lead to limiting more varieties of plants in the future, which could reduce residents' options for vegetation.
Testifying in person against the bill was Armorvine LLC.
Written testimony has been submitted for this bill. The full written testimony and witnesses testifying online can be found under Testimony on the bill page on the House website.
Statutes affected: