HB1765 • 2026

Authorizes Washington County to submit a question to the voters on a transient guest tax for tourism purposes

Elections Taxes

Passed Legislature

This bill passed both chambers and reached final enrollment, even if later executive action is not shown here.

Sponsor: McGirl, Mike (118)
Last action: 2026-05-15
Official status: 05/15/2026 - Referred: Emerging Issues(H)
Effective date: 2026-08-28

Plain English Breakdown

The bill summary does not specify the exact population criteria for Washington County beyond it being eligible to impose such a tax under certain conditions. The candidate explanation included specific population numbers that are not mentioned in the provided official text.

Allows Washington County to Ask Voters About Tourism Tax

This bill permits Washington County to ask its residents if they want to impose a tax on hotel and motel guests for tourism promotion purposes.

What This Bill Does

Defines 'transient guests' as people staying in hotels or motels for less than thirty-one days during any calendar quarter.
Allows the county government to put a question on an election ballot asking if they can charge a tax on hotel and motel rooms.
Sets rules for how much this tax can be (no more than half of one percent per night).
Requires that any money collected from this tax must only be used to promote tourism in the county.

Who It Names or Affects

Washington County residents who vote on whether to approve a tourist tax.
Hotels and motels within Washington County if the tax is approved by voters.

Terms To Know

transient guests: People staying in hotels or motels for less than thirty-one days during any calendar quarter.
tourism promotion: Activities and events to attract visitors to a place.

Limits and Unknowns

The tax can only be imposed if voters approve it in an election.
Details like the exact percentage of the tax are not set by this bill but would need to be decided later if the measure passes.

Bill History

2026-05-15 Missouri House of Representatives and Missouri Senate
Referred: Emerging Issues(H)
2026-01-08 Missouri House of Representatives and Missouri Senate
Read Second Time (H)
2026-01-07 Missouri House of Representatives and Missouri Senate
Read First Time (H)
2025-12-01 Missouri House of Representatives and Missouri Senate
Prefiled (H)

Official Summary Text

Authorizes Washington County to submit a question to the voters on a transient guest tax for tourism purposes

Current Bill Text

Read the full stored bill text

SECOND REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE BILL NO. 1765
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBL Y
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENT A TIVE MCGIRL.
5225H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
T o amend chapter 67, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to transient guest
taxes for tourism.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 67, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be
2 known as section 67.1014, to read as follows:
67.1014. 1. As used in this section, the following terms mean:
2 (1) "County", a county with mor e than twenty-two thousand but fewer than
3 twenty-five thousand inhabitants and with a county seat with mor e than two thousand
4 thr ee hundre d but fewer than four thousand inhabitants;
5 (2) "T ransient guests", a person or persons who occupy a r oom or rooms in a
6 hotel or motel for thirty-one days or less during any calendar quarter .
7 2. (1) The governing body of a county may impose a tax on the charges for all
8 sleeping roo ms paid by the transient guests of hotels or motels situated in the county or a
9 portion ther eof.
10 (2) Such tax shall:
11 (a) Not exceed one-half of one percen t per occupied room per night;
12 (b) Be in addition to the charge for the sleeping room and shall be in addition to
13 any and all other taxes; and
14 (c) Be stated separately fr om all other charges and taxes.
15 (3) The pr oceeds of such tax shall be used by the county solely for funding the
16 pr omotion of tourism.
EXPLANA TION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is
intended to be omitted from the law . Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language.
17 (4) Such tax shall not become effective unless the governing body of the county
18 submits to the voters of the county , at any election available for the county , a prop osal to
19 authorize the governing body of the county to impose the tax under this section.
20 3. (1) The question submitted for the tax authorized in this section shall be in
21 substantially the following form: "Shall ______ (insert county name) County impose a
22 tax on the charges for all sleeping ro oms paid by the transient guests of hotels and
23 motels situated in ______ (insert county name) County at a rate of ______ (insert
24 per centage) percen t, the proceed s of which shall be used solely for the pro motion of
25 tourism?".
26 (2) If a majority of the votes cast on the question by the qualified voters voting
27 ther eon ar e in favor of the question, the tax shall become effective on the first day of the
28 second calendar quarter following the calendar quarter in which the election was held.
29 If a majority of the votes cast on the question by the qualified voters voting ther eon are
30 opposed to the question, the tax shall not become effective unless and until the question
31 is re submitted under this section to the qualified voters and such question is appr oved
32 by a majority of the qualified voters voting on the question.
✔
HB 1765 2