JEFFERSON CITY (AP) - The Missouri Senate has passed legislation that would limit the ability of cities and counties to restrict cellphone towers.
Senators approved a series of bills Thursday that would reinstate many of the provisions of a 2013 law that were struck down in court. A judge said the original law violated the single-subject requirement of the state constitution.
Lawmakers are seeking to get around that by breaking the measure up into five separate bills.
The intent of the legislation is to create uniform standards for communications companies to follow as they seek to expand cellphone and high-speed internet service.
Many city officials have opposed the legislation. They say it restricts their ability to enact zoning and land-use regulations intended to protect property values.