Missouri Supreme Court affirms Conservation Commission’s authority over funding

On June 13, 2023, the Supreme Court of Missouri issued a decision affirming a ruling by the Cole County Circuit Court in favor of the Missouri Conservation Commission and Missouri Department of Conservation negating a legislative restriction on their ability to use dedicated conservation sales tax funding. The suit centered around a 2020 appropriations bill that removed language regarding use of conservation funds for land acquisition and county payments authorized by the Missouri Constitution. In a victory for CVDL’s clients, the Court held that the appropriations bill “invaded the constitutional authority of the Conservation Commission.” A copy of the Court’s opinion may be found at https://www.courts.mo.gov/file.jsp?id=196620.