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Rent Regulations

Cal. Civ. Code § 213.135

Local commissions, power and authority — procedure — public attorney, duties — appeal, procedure — adoption of procedural rules

In Force
Verified 10/14/2026 · Next check 10/21/2026
effective 10/14/2026MissouriFair Housing & Anti-Discrimination

Operative Text

Cal. Civ. Code § 213.135
1. Any local commission authorized under subsection 3 of section 213.020 and certified by the commission as substantially equivalent shall, pursuant to the provisions of this section, have power and authority to hear complaints of violations of this chapter that are alleged to have been committed within the city, town, village or county which created the commission, provided that no complaint against the state of Missouri, including the University of Missouri system, or any official, officer, employee, department, agency, or other agent or servant thereof shall be entertained by a municipal or county commission as authorized in subsection 3 of section 213.020. Such authority may only be exercised in a manner consistent with the provisions of this chapter. In furtherance of the authority granted in this section, local commissions shall be empowered to hold hearings, subpoena witnesses, compel their attendance, administer oaths, to take the testimony of any person under oath, and to require the production for examination of any books, papers or other materials relating to any matter under investigation or in question before the commission.

2. Any local commission authorized under subsection 3 of section 213.020 may be empowered by the legislative body of the city, town, village or county it serves to exercise the powers granted in this section, any provision of law, charter or ordinance to the contrary notwithstanding.

3. Proceedings before the local commission shall be consistent with the requirements of section 213.075, with the exceptions that in the context of these proceedings, the references to the attorney general therein shall apply to an attorney or counselor for the city, town, village or county, and that contested cases before the local commission shall be heard by a hearing examiner who shall present to the local commission, or to a panel of members thereof, proposed findings of fact, proposed conclusions of law, and a proposed order, or who shall, if the municipal ordinance so provides, render findings of fact, conclusions of law, and an order. Hearings before local commissions shall either be tape recorded or held before a certified court reporter.

4. The order of a local commission shall not be final for appeal purposes until filed with and reviewed by a hearing examiner of the commission. The order shall be filed with the commission within thirty days of the date the local commission entered its order. Within fifteen days of the filing of the order the local commission shall transmit the transcript of the hearing previously reduced to writing to the commission. The local commission shall prepare the transcript of the hearing and file with it all exhibits, whether received or rejected, with the commission. The commission hearing examiner shall issue an opinion within ninety days of receipt of the local commission's complete hearing record. Thirty days from the date of issuance of the opinion, the order of the local commission shall become final for purposes of appeal and may be appealed in the same manner as any other decision of the commission as set out in section 213.085. If no opinion is issued by the hearing examiner within ninety days, the local commission's decision shall be considered final for purposes of appeal and may be appealed in the same manner as any other decision of the commission as set out in section 213.085.

5. If no appeal from a final order of a local commission has been filed within thirty days, a petition for enforcement of the order may be filed in the circuit court as provided in section 213.085.

6. Local commissions may adopt procedural rules relating to the investigation, settlement and conciliation of complaints and conduct of hearings, provided that such rules and regulations are consistent with the provisions and spirit of this chapter. Such rules and regulations shall be subject to review by the Missouri commission on human rights, and shall not become effective until approved thereby. The commission shall have authority to approve, disapprove, or approve with amendments any local commission rules submitted to it. In the event that the commission approves local commission rules and regulations with amendments, such rules shall become effective when the amendments are adopted by the local commission.
Source: Legislative text reproduced verbatim
Plain English

Missouri Revised Statutes § 213.135 establishes the authority of locally created civil-rights commissions—those certified as substantially equivalent by the Missouri Commission on Human Rights—to hear discrimination complaints that arise within their jurisdictions. These local commissions can hold hearings, subpoena witnesses, administer oaths, and compel production of records, but they cannot hear complaints against the state of Missouri or its agencies. Final orders from a local commission must go through a review process by a state hearing examiner before they can be appealed, and any procedural rules the local commission adopts must be approved by the Missouri Commission on Human Rights before taking effect.

Written by anthropic/claude-sonnet-4.6 · Reviewed on October 14, 2026

Plain English — not legal advice.

For Property Managers

Under Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.135, property owners and managers operating in cities, towns, villages, or counties with a certified local commission should be aware that such bodies hold real investigative and adjudicative power, including the ability to subpoena records and compel witness testimony. Compliant operators generally maintain thorough documentation of their rental practices, lease decisions, and communications, since those materials can be required for production during a local commission proceeding. Because local commission orders are subject to state-level review and can ultimately be enforced through circuit court under § 213.135(5), understanding the full procedural chain is a practical part of operating in jurisdictions with these commissions.

General guidance for property managers — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult an attorney for advice on your case.

For Tenants

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.135 gives tenants in covered municipalities a local forum to raise housing-discrimination complaints, with the local commission empowered to hold hearings and gather evidence on their behalf. If a local commission issues an order in a complainant's favor, that order can be enforced in circuit court if the respondent does not appeal within thirty days of it becoming final. Tenants who believe they have experienced discrimination within a jurisdiction that has a certified local commission may consider contacting that commission directly, reaching out to the Missouri Commission on Human Rights, or consulting a tenant-rights organization to understand which forum and process may be available to them under § 213.135.

General guidance for tenants — not legal advice for your specific situation. Consult a tenant-rights organization or attorney for advice on your case.

Generated October 14, 2026 — auto-generated, not yet human-reviewed. See /transparency for methodology.

Effective Timeline

Current
Oct 14, 2026
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References Out

Rules and statutes cited by this regulation

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.020
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.075
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.085

References In

Rules and statutes that cite this regulation

Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.030
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.030
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.030
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.030
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.070
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.030
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.030
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.070
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.030
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.075
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.030
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.075
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.045
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.030
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.030
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.030
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.030
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.070
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.030
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.030
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.070
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.030
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.075
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.075
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.030
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.075
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.135
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.020
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.010
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.045
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.050
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.010
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.076
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.070
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.030
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.070
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.075
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.111
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.075
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.055
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.111
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.070
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.055
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.070
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.040
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.070
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.020
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.075
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.085
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.010
Mo. Rev. Stat. § 213.135

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§ 5.109
§ 5.109 Equal participation of faith-based organizations in HUD programs and activities.
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Policies; recommendations

Source Information

Source:https://revisor.mo.gov/main/OneSection.aspx?section=213.135
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