Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins made the following statement regarding House Passage of Eminent Domain Reform:

“The Missouri House of Representatives has taken a bold stand supporting property rights. Private, for-profit companies building merchant electricity transmission lines should not be allowed to take our farms and land for purely profit-driven ventures. Representative Mike Haffner’s bill, HB 527, would stop the type of abuse we have seen in recent years. We appreciate his leadership, along with that of Speaker Rob Vescovo and Floor Leader Dean Plocher, in moving this important bill forward.

“Eminent Domain must be reserved for truly public uses, and today’s vote by the House puts us one step closer to strengthening our property rights in Missouri. We call on the Missouri Senate to pass this legislation without delay.”