Senate Bill No. 491 Summary

• Allows private schools to establish agricultural education programs meeting state board standards and qualify for federal agricultural education association chapters, without receiving state or federal vocational education funding.

• Creates new section 256.433 restricting major water users from conveying water from the Southeast Missouri Regional Water District to outside locations when such conveyance unduly interferes with other registered water users' activities; allows attorney general or affected parties to seek injunction unless detrimental to public health or safety.

• Modifies Missouri Grain Dealer Law definitions and exemptions, changing the threshold for feed manufacturers from one hundred thousand dollars to fifty thousand bushels in grain purchases from producers annually.

• Establishes the Missouri Renewable Fuel Standard Act requiring all gasoline sold at retail in Missouri to be fuel ethanol-blended gasoline (90% gasoline, 10% ethanol) effective January 1, 2008, with exemptions for aviation fuel, premium gasoline, and E75-E85 ethanol.

• Provides liability protection for fuel ethanol-blended gasoline retailers and suppliers against vehicle damage claims when fuel is customer-selected and pump-labeled correctly, excluding protection for negligence or misconduct.