Three new Missouri laws will be going into effect at the start of the new year.
These new laws change the regulations regarding the Self Service Storage Facilities Act, the sale of intoxicating liquor and underground facility safety.
The legislation regarding self-storage changes the definition of "last known address" to a postal address or an email address and the definition of "any public sale" to include sales conducted online from a publicly accessible website.
Also it lengthens the 30-day default period, after which a storage operator can put a lien on the renter's property, to 45 days. It also requires the occupant of the storage unit to provide a written statement that includes the name and address of any third-party property owner of things stored in the unit. The third-party owner must also have a list of their property and they must be notified at least 45 days before the sale of any stored property.
This storage law also allows the owner of a storage facility to treat stored vehicles as abandoned vehicles after the occupant has not paid for storage services for 60 days. This means the owner can have it towed, and they are not liable for any damages occurred while towing.
The law that affects the sale of liquor states that beer brewed for personal or family use is not considered a retail sale if it is sold at an event with a fee separate from the general admission. The seller must not receive any portion of the admission and the beer must be consumed off of licensed retail property or on a tax-exempt organization's premises.
It also changes the definition of original packaging to a package containing one or more standard bottles, cans or pouches of beer, previously it was three or more.
Among many of the revisions and repeals in the legislation regarding underground storage facilities is a new requirement for owners of underground facilities that operate electric, gas or pipeline facilities to submit a report of damages experienced by the facility for the prior year.
This legislation requires the attorney general to make the number of enforcement actions for the prior year public information. It also sets new rules regarding excavation practices and the placement of utilities, such as power lines and sewer pipes, in regards to underground facilities.