Prohibits the issuance of permits for construction of data centers for one year in St. Louis

2026 Regular Session Introduced by Marty Murray

Missouri imposes a moratorium until Aug 28, 2027 on approving new data center projects in independent cities, with a pre-Aug 2026 filing carve-out.

Referred: Emerging Issues(H)

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Purpose and intent

HB 3369 seeks to pause the processing and approval of applications for the acquisition, construction, reconstruction, or alteration of facilities that would create or expand data centers in cities not located within a county (i.e., independent cities in Missouri).

The pause would extend until August 28, 2027. Applications submitted before August 28, 2026 are exempt from the pause and would proceed under existing procedures.

The bill aims to restrict data center development in a specific municipal context for a defined period, providing a temporary regulatory moratorium.

Key provisions and changes

New section added: Section 82.1070 to Chapter 82, RSMo.

Definitions:

“Application” includes any form of submission, whether complete or incomplete, formal or informal.
“Data center” covers a broad range of facilities and activities, including but not limited to data processing, data storage, servers, neural networks, quantum computing components, crypto processing, cloud services, telecom facilities, AI processing/training, and related infrastructure.

Moratorium:

The acceptance, processing, or approval of applications that would allow for the acquisition, construction, reconstruction, or alteration of data centers in cities not within a county shall be paused.
The pause lasts until August 28, 2027.

Transitional rule:

Applications submitted prior to August 28, 2026 shall not be affected by the pause and shall proceed under established procedures.

Scope of pause:

Applies specifically to departments, divisions, boards, commissions, councils, and agencies in the relevant city context (a city not within a county).

Who or what would be affected

Data center developers and projects seeking to establish or expand data centers in Missouri cities that are not located within counties.

Governmental entities and agencies in those cities responsible for processing or approving such applications (e.g., planning, zoning, utilities, building departments, economic development offices).

The broader tech and infrastructure community interested in data processing, cloud services, AI, and related facilities, due to the broad definition of “data center.”

Procedural and timeline aspects

Effective pause date: The bill specifies a pause through August 28, 2027.

Exceptions/timing:

Any data center-related applications submitted on or before August 27, 2026 are not subject to the pause and will move forward under existing procedures.

Geographic scope:

The pause applies only to projects in cities not within a county (i.e., independent cities in Missouri).

Legislative status:

Introduced in the 2026 session by Representative Murray; co-sponsored by Marty Murray.
Referred to the Emerging Issues committee; prior actions include introduction, first reading, and second reading in February 2026.

Potential impact and considerations

The bill effectively creates a one-year-plus moratorium (through 2027) on new or expanded data center projects in certain Missouri municipalities.

By excluding applications filed before late August 2026, there is a carve-out for projects already in the pipeline.

The broad definition of “data center” encompasses a wide range of activities, which could affect a broad spectrum of potential projects, including advanced computing, AI processing, crypto operations, and cloud services.

Local jurisdictions in independent cities would be the primary administrators of this pause, potentially impacting economic development timelines and investment planning in those areas.