HB 1867 Missouri House · 2026 Regular Session

Authorizes Joplin to increase a transient guest tax for tourism to no more than six percent upon a vote of the people

HB 1867 allows the city of Joplin to increase its transient guest tax on hotel and motel stays to a maximum of six percent, but only after voters approve the change through a local election. The tax would be added to the room charge and collected by hotels/motels, with all revenue dedicated exclusively to funding Joplin’s convention and visitors bureau. This bill amends Missouri law to create a specific exception for Joplin, which would otherwise be subject to a standard five percent cap for cities of its size. The tax must be listed separately on guests’ bills and cannot replace any existing taxes.

Issues: ✓ Budget & Taxes

Bill status signed all 4 stages cleared

Introduction

Dec 2025

Committee Review

May 2026

House Passage

May 2026

Signed into Law

Jul 2026

Introduced Dec 1, 2025 Signed Jul 13, 2026

Maddy AI version diff · 2 comparisons

What changed between versions

Senate Committee Substitute → Perfected · 5 edits

MODERATE

The bill was completely rewritten to shift focus from veterans' funding to local tourism taxes. The original version created a trust fund for veterans' homes and memorials, while the new version repeals an old tourism tax statute and establishes a new one for cities and counties to levy taxes on hotel stays to fund convention and visitors bureaus.

Scope change

The bill's scope changed from funding veterans' facilities and memorials to authorizing local governments to impose taxes on transient guests to fund tourism promotion.

SCOPE

Removed all provisions related to the Veterans Commission Capital Improvement Trust Fund, including funding for veterans' homes, cemeteries, memorials, and matching grants for veterans' service organizations.

Added a new section authorizing cities and counties to impose a tax on transient guests (hotel/motel stays) to fund convention and visitors bureaus.

ELIGIBILITY

Changed eligibility criteria from specific population thresholds for veterans' memorial funding to population and hotel room counts for cities and counties seeking to impose a tourism tax.

DEFINITION

Added a definition for 'transient guests' as persons occupying hotel rooms for 31 days or less per quarter (or 90 days in specific small counties).

REQUIREMENT

Added a requirement that any new tourism tax must be approved by a vote of the local electorate before it can take effect.

Floor votes

How they voted

This bill passed the House by voice vote (no roll call recorded).

Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions

Key actions

Committee

Jul 13, 2026

Signed into law

Approved by Governor (G)

lower

May 15, 2026

Lower · Passed

Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed - AYES: 22 NOES: 5 PRESENT: 0

lower

May 7, 2026

Upper · Passed

Reported Do Pass (S)

upper

May 7, 2026

Upper · Passed

Voted Do Pass (S)

upper

May 5, 2026

Committee

Referred: Fiscal Oversight(S)

upper

May 4, 2026

Upper · Passed

SCS Reported Do Pass (S)

upper

Apr 20, 2026

Upper · Passed

SCS Voted Do Pass (S)

upper

Mar 31, 2026

Committee

Second read and referred: Local Government, Elections and Pensions(S)

upper

Mar 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

Third Read and Passed (H) - AYES: 115 NOES: 25 PRESENT: 1

lower

Mar 3, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 9 NOES: 0 PRESENT: 0

lower

Mar 3, 2026

Lower · Passed

Voted Do Pass (H)

lower

Feb 25, 2026

Committee

Referred: Rules - Administrative(H)

lower

Feb 12, 2026

Lower · Passed

Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 15 NOES: 1 PRESENT: 0

lower

Feb 11, 2026

Lower · Passed

Voted Do Pass (H)

lower

Jan 20, 2026

Committee

Referred: Local Government(H)

lower

Dec 1, 2025

Introduced

Prefiled (H)

lower

1 primary · 0 co-sponsors