Tourism Legislation Sent to Governor for Signature

Legislation to clear up a mistake in a law being sunset is on its way to Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe.

The release from Senator Brad Hudson's Office is below:

The Missouri House truly agreed to and finally passed SB 1000 which reestablishes the Missouri Tourism Supplemental Revenue Fund. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Brad Hudson, R-Cape Fair, and handled in the House by Rep. Brian Seitz, R-Branson, reestablishes the fund that receives a general revenue transfer from the Missouri General Assembly to maintain the operations of the Missouri Division of Tourism and the Missouri Film Office. The fund was accidentally sunset in 2020 along with the formula for funding tourism in the state, a mistake that wasn’t caught until 2024 and that Hudson and Seitz have been working to fix for the past few sessions.

“I was made aware of this issue in 2024, and first ran legislation as a member of the House that year to fix this problem,” Hudson said. “For the past two sessions I have partnered with Rep. Seitz to fix this simple, but important, problem, and I am glad that we could get it across the finish line and to the governor this year. Tourism is vital to our state’s economy, and the 33rd District, and I will do whatever I can to ensure seamless operations for our Division of Tourism.”

In 1993, House Bill 188 created a funding formula and Tourism Supplemental Revenue Fund for the Division of Tourism. Through this formula, a percentage of the growth in tax revenues from tourism-related businesses was to be reinvested each year for tourism marketing. The funding formula went into effect on July 1, 1994. The formula and corresponding Tourism Supplemental Revenue Fund were re-authorized in subsequent years. In 2020, the formula sunset amid the COVID crisis. The following year, Dept. of Tourism officials spoke to legislators about seeking an extension of the formula. Based on what was happening with our nation’s recovery, and the advice they received from legislators, a decision was made not to pursue an extension of the formula. In January 2024, however, the Department of Economic Development and the Division of Tourism were notified that language in the formula’s sunset provision pertained also to the Tourism Supplemental Revenue Fund itself, not just the formula. Having the fund restored helps the timing of the matching-grants program communities across the state use to promote their areas.

“This legislation is non-controversial and thankfully was widely supported,” Seitz said. “As the state representative for the number one tourist destination in our state, Branson, and the Chairman of the House Tourism Committee, I have been a tireless advocate for all things tourism. This simple fix will guarantee an uninterrupted funding stream for the various chambers of commerce across our state, and the Division of Tourism itself. As always, it was great working with Sen. Hudson on this legislation. Having a likeminded individual working to accomplish many of the same goals on the other side of the rotunda has made our area of the state, in my opinion, the best represented in Missouri.”

In addition to the passage of SB 1000, Hudson and Seitz led the charge for the restoration of full funding to the Division of Tourism appropriation in this year’s budget. The Missouri Legislature adjourns sine die on May 18.