House tourism committee reopens bill to reauthorize Missouri tourism supplemental revenue fund

House lawmakers on the Special Committee on Tourism on Thursday heard testimony in favor of House Bill 1671, a measure to reauthorize the tourism supplemental revenue fund and remove outdated statutory language that officials say left the fund "technically sunset." Representative Brian Sites (156th District), the bill's sponsor, told the panel the change does not ask for additional appropriations and is intended to restore the fund’s statutory authorization so the Division of Tourism and the Missouri Film Office can continue operations.

Sites told the committee the fund and its funding formula trace back to 1993 (House Bill 188) and were later modified, noting that a sunset provision tied to an omnibus bill left the tourism supplemental revenue fund without explicit statutory authorization. "At this point in time, the fund that had been in place... is technically sunset," Sites said, arguing the bill removes obsolete provisions (including references to SIC codes) and reauthorizes the fund for fiscal year 2026 and beyond.

The bill drew unanimous supportive testimony from tourism stakeholders. Tracy Kimberlin of the Missouri Association of Convention and Visitor Bureaus said the legislation allows the Division of Tourism to carry unspent funds across fiscal years and supports cooperative marketing reimbursements to local convention and visitor bureaus. "They obviously purchase advertising and other marketing expenses that are not paid immediately... So it's reimbursed in the first quarter of the following year," Kimberlin said.

Katie Gamble of the Missouri Hotel Lodging Association said the measure does not seek new money and explained the zero fiscal note. "We're not asking for any more dollars... it's just the fund where the money is deposited into," Gamble said, adding the change clarifies accounting for existing appropriations. Will Mars of the Branson Lakes Area Chamber of Commerce told the committee the bill "stabilizes what we can account for in the tourism budget" and stressed tourism's economic return in regions such as Branson.

Committee members asked about the bill's history and timing. Ranking Member Fountain Henderson confirmed the bill matches last year’s version; a witness said the bill had repeatedly stalled in the Senate in prior years. Sites said the bill had been an early filing in the Senate and he expected the measure could move quickly there.

The committee concluded the hearing after hearing only supportive testimony and no witnesses in opposition. No committee vote or formal action was recorded during the session; the sponsor said he hopes to have the bill scheduled early on the House floor.