The civic record
Read. Follow. Verify.Missouri House Bill 2550 authorizes qualifying cities to impose up to an 8 percent hotel guest tax for general revenue upon voter approval
Last action · May 15, 2026: Referred: Emerging Issues(H)Sponsor: Jeff Hales
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What This Bill Would Do
Eligible cities with populations between 33,000 and 36,500 may impose a transient guest tax of up to 8 percent on hotel and motel rooms, provided the tax is approved by local voters at an election. The collected revenue would fund general municipal operations, and the tax must be billed as a separate charge.
Local visitors and hotel guests in qualifying municipalities face an added lodging tax of up to 8 percent, while local governments gain a new source of general revenue if approved by the electorate.
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
transient guests of hotels or motels
Hotel and motel guests face a newly authorized room tax of up to 8 percent billed separately from other charges.
governing body of a city
City governing bodies gain the statutory authority to propose a lodging tax to voters and collect general revenue funds.
Key Facts
- Qualifying cities are defined as having more than thirty-three thousand but fewer than thirty-six thousand five hundred inhabitants.
- Transient guests are defined as individuals occupying a hotel or motel room for thirty-one days or less during any calendar quarter.
- The lodging tax rate is capped at a maximum of eight percent per occupied room per night.
- The tax must be added to the room charge, kept separate from all other charges and taxes, and used exclusively for general revenue purposes.
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- Imposition of the tax requires submission to local voters and approval by a majority of votes cast on the question.
- If approved, the tax takes effect on the first day of the second calendar quarter following the election quarter.
Frequently Asked Questions
What cities are eligible to levy this transient guest tax?
How is the tax approved and implemented?
What can the tax proceeds be spent on?
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently in committee. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Floor Vote.
Procedural history
4 actions- May 15, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred: Emerging Issues(H)
- Jan 8, 2026HouseFloorRead Second Time (H)
- Jan 7, 2026HouseIntroducedRead First Time (H)
- Dec 22, 2025HouseIntroducedPrefiled (H)
Version history
Only one version on file - nothing to compare yet. As later stages (committee substitute, engrossed, enrolled) are captured, the redline appears here.
View official text →Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Connected Entities
Sources
house.mo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance40How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy25Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz20Current news / social attention level
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