2026-09-12 · Missouri · Legislation · Did not pass

What happened. House Bill 1734 would have created a state revolving loan fund that Missouri homeowners associations could borrow from to fix eroding creeks and streams running through their neighbourhoods. It was heard three times, drew no opposition at all, and passed its policy committee 11–0. Then the Rules – Legislative committee refused to release it on a 5–6 vote on 20 April 2026, and that was the end of it.¹

It was the only Missouri HOA bill in 2026 that anyone voted on. The sponsor was Representative Colin M. Wellenkamp of the 105th District in St. Charles County.

The vote, in the House's own words

From the official House committee summary:

“COMMITTEE ACTION: Voted 'Do Pass' by the Standing Committee on Conservation and Natural Resources by a vote of 11 to 0. Motion for 'Do Pass' by the Standing Committee Rules-Legislative failed by a vote of 5 to 6.”

The full sequence

• 1 December 2025 — Prefiled (H)
• 7 January 2026 — Read First Time (H), Journal p. 16
• 8 January 2026 — Read Second Time (H), p. 266
• 12 February 2026 — Referred: Conservation and Natural Resources(H), p. 667
• 23 February 2026 — Public Hearing Completed (H)
• 5 March 2026 — Executive Session Completed; Voted Do Pass (H)
• 9 March 2026 — Reported Do Pass (H) — AYES: 11 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0, pp. 1171–1172
• 10 March 2026 — Referred: Rules – Legislative(H), p. 1203
• 20 April 2026 — Executive Session Completed; Motion to Do Pass Failed (H)

This is a materially different death from the four Missouri HOA bills that were swept into “Emerging Issues” on the last day of session without ever being heard. HB 1734 was heard, endorsed unanimously by the committee that owned the subject matter, reported to the floor, and then stopped one vote short at the last gate before floor debate. It never reached the House floor and never reached the Senate.

What it would have created

New section 640.900, RSMo. The fund:

“640.900. 1. (1) There is hereby created in the state treasury the 'Soil Erosion Control Fund', which shall consist of moneys appropriated by the general assembly; all gifts, grants, and bequests from any federal or private source; and all repayment of loan moneys from eligible homeowners' associations. The state treasurer shall be custodian of the fund.”

The purpose:

“2. The fund shall be used to better equip neighborhoods and communities to reduce sedimentation and erosion of creeks, streams, and waterways, and to protect ecological integrity and environmental services provided by natural drainage channels that run in close proximity to residential areas.”

Eligible projects were “(1) Daylighting waterways; (2) Adding or restoring natural flood and catchment capacity to existing waterways; (3) Restoring or rehabilitating natural culverts or culverts that use natural infrastructure; (4) Bank stabilization using natural means such as vegetation, trees, or built implements…” Ineligible: “(1) Lining drainage-ways with impermeable surfaces; and (2) Deploying impermeable surfaces throughout a creek, stream, or waterway that covers large swaths of natural area.”

The two conditions that would have bound boards

“4. To be eligible for a loan under this section, a homeowners' association shall be incorporated as a nonprofit organization under Missouri law.

5. … (1) The interest amount on loans granted under this section shall not exceed the federal funds rate or two percent, whichever is greater; (2) The loan amount shall not exceed eighty percent of the total cost of a project in a single fiscal year; (3) The terms of the loan shall include a repayment schedule of not more than ten years; and (4) A homeowners' association shall:

(a) Pass an assessment to the homeowners before qualifying for a loan under this section. The assessment shall be documented in the minutes of a homeowners' association meeting, indicating the meeting was held with appropriate notice, a quorum was present, and a vote for the assessment was favorable; and

(b) As loan collateral, place liens or contingent liens upon all property where improvements from the project abut or are wholly within the property.”

Paragraph 5(4)(b) is the sharpest provision in the bill. The collateral for a state erosion loan would have been liens, or contingent liens, on the individual lots abutting or containing the work.

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Related Missouri HOA Topics

• Water & Stormwater
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← All Missouri HOA Topics

1. Official House committee summary of HB 1734 (2026) — committee actions, the 5–6 vote, and witness list ↩
2. SS #2 SCS HB 199 (2025), truly agreed text — amended § 67.453(5)(i), RSMo (Neighborhood Improvement Districts) ↩
3. HB 1734 (2026), introduced text (LR 4625H.01I) — proposed § 640.900, RSMo ↩
4. HB 1461 (2025) action history — the predecessor bill, died in Rules – Administrative ↩
5. MSD Project Clear — published position on detention and retention basin maintenance responsibility ↩