House approves substitute for House Bill 17 88 to require affirmative consent for recurring campaign donations
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Summary
The Missouri House adopted a committee substitute for House Bill 17 88, with a cleanup amendment, to require affirmative opt‑in for recurring political contributions, require receipts for each contribution, and stop election‑specific recurring solicitations when the related election concludes.
The Missouri House on the floor adopted a committee substitute for House Bill 17 88 as amended, taking steps to tighten rules around recurring campaign contributions.
The bill’s sponsor, identified in the transcript as the Gentleman from Saint Louis County, told the chamber the measure responds to examples from a recent governor’s race in which donors were signed up for recurring donations without clear, affirmative consent. “If you’re going to ask for a recurring donation, you have to opt into it, not out of it,” the sponsor said, recounting a case in which “a gentleman in Nebraska, a retired veteran… had given over $2,200” before realizing the donations were recurring.
The legislation, as described by the sponsor, requires affirmative consent for committees soliciting recurring contributions, prohibits passive actions such as prechecked boxes from constituting consent, requires that contributors receive a receipt for each contribution, and requires that recurring solicitations tied to a specific election end when that election concludes. The sponsor said House Amendment 1 was technical cleanup language requested by “MEC” (referenced in the transcript; full name not specified) and does not change the bill’s substantive function.
Members who spoke in support said the bill aligns with broader moves toward affirmative consent in privacy and finance practices and would protect donors from deceptive solicitations. The Gentleman from Clay said the conduct in the governor’s race appeared fraudulent and stressed the need for clear cancellation instructions so people can stop unwanted recurring payments.
The transcript records that House Amendment 1 was adopted and, following a closing by the sponsor, the chamber adopted the committee substitute as amended; those actions were taken by voice vote and the House ordered the measure perfected and printed. The transcript does not contain a roll‑call vote tally for the final adoption; the only recorded numerical tally in the transcript is an earlier quorum report in which the Clerk reported 56 yay, 0 nay and 62 present to establish quorum.
The House then heard routine announcements and adjourned until 10 a.m. Thursday, 02/05/2026.