JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – A groundbreaking Missouri bill could soon allow people to use silver and gold as legal tender for paying public and private debts, including for things like taxes and groceries, if the recipient agrees.

Missouri House Bill 754, a broader financial legislation package sponsored by State Rep. Philip Oehlerking (R-Ballwin), includes a provision known as the “Constitutional Money Act.” It would authorize the use of “electronic specie currency,” defined as digital representation of physical gold and silver held in an account, to settle an individual’s debts.

Under the bill, public entities would still receive payment in U.S. dollars, but with a custody agent responsible for converting electronic specie to an equivalent cash value.

The legislation has cleared both chamber of the Missouri Legislature, returned and approved by the House after the Senate amended it with the “electronic specie” provisions. It cleared its final legislative hurdle on May 5 and now awaits review from Gov. Mike Kehoe.

If signed into law, the measure would position Missouri as one of the few states to formally recognize alternative forms of money alongside Federal Reserve notes. In theory, it could allow individuals to use precious metals or their digital equivalents to pay for services such as property taxes, legal fees or possibly even groceries if the recipient agrees.

The bill does not require any person, business or government entity to accept silver or gold, and participation would remain entirely voluntary private transactions.

It also comes with some key limitations. For instance, the bill prohibits using more than $10 in dimes or more than $20 in quarters to pay off a single debt.

The legislation would also prohibit state government agencies from seizing an individual’s silver or gold, enforcing federal actions to restrict the use as legal tender or favoring one form of legal tender over another in transactions.

Additionally, employers could choose to pay workers in silver or gold, either physically or through electronic transfer, if an employee requests it. In such cases, employers would be responsible for verifying the weight and purity of any physical metals used.

If approved, the HB 754 would take effect on August 28, 2025, though how quickly precious metals may be adopted into everyday transactions remains to be determined.

Rep. Oehlerking’s office has not responded to FOX 2’s request for comment as of this story’s publication.