Senate Bill No. 119 Summary

• Establishes the "Private Landowner Protection Act" by adding section 442.014 to Missouri law governing conservation easements on real property.

• Defines conservation easements as nonpossessory interests that limit or obligate property use for conservation purposes including protecting natural, scenic, open-space values, agricultural use, environmental quality, and historical or cultural preservation.

• Allows conservation easements to be created, conveyed, recorded, assigned, released, modified, or terminated like other easements, with rights arising only after acceptance by the holder and recordation of that acceptance.

• Permits conservation easement actions to be brought by property owners burdened by the easement, holders of the easement, persons with third-party enforcement rights, or persons authorized by other law.

• Validates conservation easements even if they are not appurtenant to other interests, impose negative burdens, impose affirmative obligations, lack privity of estate or contract, or do not touch real property, and applies to interests created before or after the effective date if enforceable under this section.