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Mo. lawmakers to discuss business protections Tuesday

Several bills related to COVID-19’s impact on small business including recent crackdowns on operational guidelines will be up for discussion in a special committee meeting today. Nine bills will be examined, at least one of those related to a limit on how long a business can be forcibly closed.

Today Missouri lawmakers will talk through several bills that deal with the coronavirus and small businesses.

The meeting stems from the recent crackdowns on Missouri businesses who are not enforcing health department guidelines.

Numerous bars across the state have been forced to close for extended periods of time after warnings from local government and health departments regarding business’ violations of mask use and capacity limits.

In St. Louis, three bars were forced to close for a year after several warnings with evidence of mask violations.

The special committee will examine nine bills at the meeting, six of which are specific to the power of local leadership.

One of the nine bills would make it impossible to shutter a business for more than 45 days without a vote from the governing body.