MissouriCities may annex nearby unincorporated land under set procedures
Missouri cities, towns, and villages would use specified hearings, objections, court actions, and elections when annexing nearby unincorporated land.
What it does
Cities, towns, and villages may annex nearby unincorporated land under connection rules, with special exceptions for some counties, correctional centers, and city-owned airports.
Owner-supported annexations require public notice and a hearing; objections can require court review and separate voter approval, while cities must follow promised service plans.
After adopting an annexation ordinance, cities must file certified copies with local officials; most legal challenges must be filed within five years.
Argument forClear hearing, voting, and service rules could help property owners understand how an annexation may affect their community.
Argument againstRequired hearings, court cases, elections, and service commitments could make annexation slower and costly for cities and residents.
More detail
A city, town, or village may annex unincorporated land that meets the bill’s connection and shape rules. The land must generally be next to and compact with the existing city, town, or village limits. A state highway, interstate highway, or railroad right-of-way may separate the land from the city when the land would otherwise be next to and compact with the city. A voluntary annexation may create an unincorporated island if the island’s owners also receive a chance to join the city voluntarily. Special connection rules apply in counties with specified population ranges, including an 18 percent or 25 percent shared perimeter requirement. Certain cities may annex a nearby correctional center or an airport they own and operate even when the usual connection rule is not met.
A city, town, or village must hold hearings and follow court and election procedures when the proposed annexation is challenged. The process applies to voluntary annexations supported by all affected property owners or an approved common-interest community request, and to annexations that receive qualifying written objections. The governing body must find that the annexation is reasonable and needed for proper development and that it can provide normal city services within a reasonable time. A qualifying objection filed within 14 days after the hearing sends the annexation into the procedures for objected annexations. For an objected annexation, the city must describe its service plan, go to circuit court, and generally obtain approval from voters in both the city and the area proposed for annexation. The city must pay the full cost of any required election and may face a deannexation lawsuit if it does not provide promised services or zoning within three years, unless an act of God makes compliance unreasonable. For an owner-supported petition, the hearing must occur 14 to 60 days after receipt, with newspaper notice at least seven days before the hearing. Promised services generally must be provided within three years after annexation takes effect.
A city must file final annexation documents, and people challenging an annexation generally must sue within five years. The filing rule covers annexations completed by ordinance, and the five-year limit covers actions seeking to reverse, invalidate, set aside, or otherwise challenge an annexation. After enacting an annexation ordinance, the city must file certified copies with the county assessor, county clerk, and, when different, the election authority. Certain deannexation claims under the special large-city provision have a separate four-year deadline. An annexation becomes complete and final after the required ordinance filings. Most challenges must be brought within five years after the annexation ordinance is adopted.
Where do you stand?
Choose your position
Tell your reps
Take a position to see your representatives and ways to contact them.
Where it stands
- Introduced
- Passed House
- Passed Senate
- To Governor
- Became Law
Looking ahead
No hearings or votes scheduled.
History
- 2026
- Jul 13Delivered to Secretary of State (G)Latest
- Jul 13Approved by Governor Mike Kehoe (G)Became Law
- May 28Delivered to Governor
- May 28Signed by President Pro Tem (S)
- May 28Signed by House Speaker (H)
- May 12Senate Message (S)
- Vote recorded Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed - AYES: 30 NOES: 1 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Senate Adopts Conference Committee Report (S) - AYES: 31 NOES: 1 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Upper
- Vote recorded Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed - AYES: 30 NOES: 1 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Upper
- May 12Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed - AYES: 30 NOES: 1 PRESENT: 0Major
- May 12Senate Adopts Conference Committee Report (S) - AYES: 31 NOES: 1 PRESENT: 0
- May 12Senate Submits Conference Committee Report (S)
- May 11House Message (H)
- Vote recorded Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 8 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded House Adopts Conference Committee Report (H) - AYES: 140 NOES: 7 PRESENT: 1. Result: pass.Lower
- Vote recorded Third Read and Passed (H) - AYES: 136 NOES: 7 PRESENT: 1. Result: pass.Lower
- May 11House Message (H)
- May 11Third Read and Passed (H) - AYES: 136 NOES: 7 PRESENT: 1Major
- May 11House Adopts Conference Committee Report (H) - AYES: 140 NOES: 7 PRESENT: 1
- May 11Conferees to Exceed Differences (H) - §70.012 and Section 1 of SS SCS HCS HB 2818, as amended.
- May 11House Submits Conference Committee Report (H)
- May 11Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 8 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0Minor
- May 11Voted Do Pass (H)Minor
- May 11Executive Session Completed (H)
- May 7Referred: Fiscal Review(H)Minor
- May 7House Distributes Conference Committee Report (H)
- May 6Senate Message (S)
- May 6House Message (H)
- May 6Senate Conference Committee Appointed (S) - SENATORS BLACK, HENDERSON, SCHROER, MCCREERY, LEWIS
- May 6House Conference Committee Appointed (H) - REPRESENTATIVES SHIELDS, HINMAN, FALKNER, DOUGLAS, JAMISON
- May 6Senate Message (S)
- May 5Senate Refuses to Recede, Grants Conference (S)
- May 5House Message (H)
- May 4House Refuses to Adopt, Requests Senate to Recede or Grant Conference (H)
- May 4Taken Up
- Apr 29Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 8 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0Minor
- Vote recorded Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 8 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Apr 29Voted Do Pass (H)Minor
- Apr 29Executive Session Completed (H)
- Apr 28Referred: Fiscal Review(H)Minor
- Apr 28Reported to the House with... (H) - SS SCS, as amended
- Apr 27Third Read and Passed with Amendments (S) - SA 1, SA 2, SA 3 adopted - AYES: 28 NOES: 1 PRESENT: 0Passed Senate
- Vote recorded Third Read and Passed with Amendments (S) - SA 1, SA 2, SA 3 adopted - AYES: 28 NOES: 1 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Upper
- Apr 27SS Adopted (S)
- Apr 27SS OfferedMinor
- Apr 27Taken Up for Third Reading (S)Minor
- Apr 15SCS Reported Do Pass (S)Minor
- Apr 13SCS Voted Do Pass (S)Minor
- Apr 13Executive Session Held (S)
- Apr 7Public Hearing Held (S)
- Apr 2Public Hearing Scheduled (S) - Tuesday, April 7, 2026, 1:30 p.m., Senatec Committee Room 2 - 1st Floor
- Mar 23Second read and referred: Local Government, Elections and Pensions(S)
- Mar 9Reported to the Senate and First Read (S)Minor
- Mar 5Third Read and Passed (H) - AYES: 137 NOES: 8 PRESENT: 0Passed House
- Vote recorded Third Read and Passed (H) - AYES: 137 NOES: 8 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Mar 5Taken Up for Third Reading (H)Minor
- Mar 5Placed on the Informal Third Reading Calendar (H)Minor
- Mar 2Perfected (H)
- Mar 2Title of Bill - Agreed To
- Mar 2Taken Up for Perfection (H)
- Feb 24Placed on the Informal Perfection Calendar (H)
- Feb 17Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 10 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0Minor
- Vote recorded Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 10 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Feb 16Voted Do Pass (H)Minor
- Feb 16Executive Session Completed (H)
- Feb 5Referred: Rules - Legislative(H)Minor
- Feb 3Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 12 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0Minor
- Vote recorded Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 12 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0. Result: pass.Lower
- Jan 29Voted Do Pass (H)Minor
- Jan 29Executive Session Completed (H)
- Jan 27Public Hearing Completed (H)
- Jan 20Referred: Corrections and Public Institutions(H)Minor
- Jan 8Read Second Time (H)Minor
- Jan 7Introduced and Read First Time (H)Introduced
Government & EthicsEmergency ManagementCivil Rights & Voting