Missouri Attorney General Opinions
Free plain-English summaries of attorney general opinions issued in Missouri, with full citations and the original source on every page.
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Did the Missouri AG approve the form of Mary Anne Sedey's first 2019 Article VIII voting petition (version 1, file 2020-072)?
Yes, as to form. AG Schmitt approved Sedey's petition 2020-072 (version 1, the lead version of a 12-version voting-access slate) as sufficient as to form under § 116.332 RSMo. Form approval is procedu…
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of Damien Johnson's 2019 initiative petition to amend Article I of the Missouri Constitution?
No. AG Schmitt rejected the form of Damien Johnson's Article I initiative petition (file 2020-071) because it did not match the format required by § 116.040 RSMo. Under § 116.332.4 RSMo the Secretary …
Did the Missouri AG approve the ballot summary for SJR 14 & 9 (extending the two-term restriction to all statewide elected officials)?
Yes. AG Schmitt approved the ballot summary statement for Senate Substitute for SCS for SJR Nos. 14 & 9, which would amend Article VII to extend Missouri's two-term restriction (currently only Governo…
Did the Missouri AG approve the fair ballot language for SJR 14 & 9 (extending the two-term restriction to all statewide elected officials)?
Yes. AG Schmitt approved the fair ballot language for Senate Substitute for SCS for SJR Nos. 14 & 9, which would extend the existing two-term cap (currently applying only to the Governor and Treasurer…
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of Mary Anne Sedey's 2019 initiative petition (version 12) to amend Article VIII of the Missouri Constitution?
Yes, as to form. AG Schmitt approved the sufficiency-as-to-form of Sedey's Article VIII petition Version 12 (file 2020-083). It is the companion to Version 11 (Opinion 105-2019). Form approval is mech…
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of Mary Anne Sedey's 2019 initiative petition (version 11) to amend Article VIII of the Missouri Constitution?
Yes, as to form. AG Schmitt approved the sufficiency-as-to-form of Sedey's Article VIII petition Version 11 (file 2020-082), one of several parallel versions Sedey filed targeting election law. Form a…
What does the Missouri AG's procedural form approval mean for the last of a multi-version initiative petition campaign?
The AG approved the form of Mary Anne Sedey's Version 10 initiative petition to amend Article VIII of the Missouri Constitution. Form review is a procedural gate; ballot title, signatures, and substan…
When a Missouri proponent files multiple versions of the same initiative petition, what does the AG's form review actually decide for each version?
The AG approved the form of Mary Anne Sedey's Version 9 initiative petition to amend Article VIII of the Missouri Constitution. Each version of a multi-version filing gets its own independent form rev…
How does the Missouri AG's form-only approval relate to whether a constitutional amendment petition will end up on the ballot?
The AG approved the form of Mary Anne Sedey's Version 8 initiative petition to amend Article VIII of the Missouri Constitution. Form approval is a narrow procedural check and does not put the petition…
What does the Missouri AG's form-only approval of an initiative petition mean, and what does it not cover?
The AG approved the form of Mary Anne Sedey's Version 7 initiative petition to amend Article VIII of the Missouri Constitution. Form approval is a narrow procedural check; substance, ballot title, and…
What does it mean when the Missouri AG approves an initiative petition 'as to form,' and what happens next in the Missouri ballot process?
The AG approved the form of Mary Anne Sedey's Version 6 initiative petition to amend Article VIII of the Missouri Constitution. Form approval is a narrow check that does not endorse the substance and …
If the Missouri Attorney General approves an initiative petition 'as to form,' does that mean the petition is constitutional or that it will be on the ballot?
No. The AG approved Mark Pedersen's Article XIV initiative petition (2020-070) as to form only. Form review checks procedural and structural requirements; it does not opine on the petition's substance…
Who writes the ballot question text Missouri voters actually read on a constitutional initiative, and what does the Attorney General check before it's used?
The AG approved the legal content and form of the proposed summary statement for Heidi Miller's Article IV initiative petition (20-063), which would have authorized Medicaid expansion in Missouri. Sta…
What is the Missouri Attorney General's role in approving the fiscal note summary that voters see for a ballot initiative?
The AG approved the legal content and form of the fiscal note summary the State Auditor prepared for Heidi Miller's Article IV initiative petition (20-063). The review is a narrow procedural check tha…
What kinds of formatting mistakes will get a Missouri initiative petition rejected by the Attorney General on form?
The AG rejected Steven Reed's initiative petition (2020-066) on form because it did not follow § 116.050.2(2) and (3), RSMo. The opinion does not list every defect — form review stops once one fatal f…
If a Missouri initiative petition doesn't show its proposed deletions in brackets and additions underlined, will the Attorney General reject it?
Yes. The AG rejected Charles Hurth's initiative petition (2020-065) on form because it failed § 116.050, RSMo, which requires deleted constitutional text to be shown in brackets and new text to be und…
Why did the Missouri AG reject Mark Pedersen's 2019 initiative petition to amend Article XIV of the Missouri Constitution?
Because the petition did not show what would be deleted in brackets and what would be added underlined, as § 116.050, RSMo requires. The AG did not look for additional defects because this one was eno…
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of a 2019 initiative petition to amend Article IV of the Missouri Constitution?
Yes. AG Eric Schmitt approved the sufficiency as to form of Heidi Miller's initiative petition 2020-063, a follow-up to her earlier rejected petition (2020-062). Approval is procedural only and does n…
Did the Missouri AG approve the ballot summary for a 2019 initiative to cut minimum prison terms for dangerous felonies from 85% to 50% on a first conviction?
Yes. AG Eric Schmitt approved the summary statement for initiative petition 2020-056 (submitted by Shetova Hayes), which would amend Chapter 558 to cut first-conviction minimum time-served from 85% to…
Did the Missouri AG approve the official ballot summary for the 2019 proposal to end daylight saving time?
Yes. AG Eric Schmitt approved the legal content and form of the summary statement for initiative petition 2020-055 (submitted by Steven Reed): 'Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to elimin…
What does it take to clear the Missouri AG's check on the form of an initiative petition amending the state constitution?
Compliance with § 116.040, RSMo's formal requirements. The AG rejected initiative petition 2020-062 (submitted by Heidi Miller to amend Article IV of the Missouri Constitution) for failing those requi…
Did the Missouri AG approve the fiscal note saying the Hayes Chapter 558 initiative could create state savings with no local cost?
Attorney General Eric Schmitt approved the legal content and form of the State Auditor's fiscal note summary for the Shetova Hayes initiative petition (20-056), which proposed amending Chapter 558 of …
Did the Missouri AG approve the fiscal note summary that said the Reed Article I initiative would have no state or local cost or savings?
Attorney General Eric Schmitt approved the legal content and form of the State Auditor's fiscal note summary for the Steven Reed initiative petition (20-055), which proposed amending Article I of the …
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of the 2020 Steven Reed initiative petition to amend Article IV of the Missouri Constitution?
Attorney General Eric Schmitt rejected the sufficiency as to form of the Steven Reed initiative petition (2020-061), which proposed to amend Article IV of the Missouri Constitution, because it did not…
Did the Missouri AG approve the ballot summary for the 2020 Medicaid expansion initiative petition?
Attorney General Eric Schmitt approved the legal content and form of the Secretary of State's proposed summary statement for the Heidi Miller initiative petition (2020-053), which proposed to amend Ch…
Did the Missouri AG approve the ballot summary for the 2020 initiative to tax capital gains and dividends to fund renewable energy?
Attorney General Eric Schmitt approved the legal content and form of the Secretary of State's proposed summary statement for the Winston Apple initiative petition (2020-049), which proposed to tax lon…
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of the Hurth petition to amend Article VIII of the Missouri Constitution?
Attorney General Eric Schmitt rejected the form of the Charles Hurth initiative petition (2020-060), which proposed to amend Article VIII of the Missouri Constitution, because the petition did not bra…
Did the Missouri AG approve the fiscal note for the Pieper Article VI petition affecting St. Louis County municipal revenues?
Attorney General Eric Schmitt approved the State Auditor's fiscal note summary for the Christopher Pieper initiative petition (20-054), which proposed to amend Article VI of the Missouri Constitution.…
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of the Miller petition to amend Article IV of the Missouri Constitution?
Attorney General Eric Schmitt rejected the form of the Heidi Miller initiative petition (2020-059), which proposed to amend Article IV of the Missouri Constitution, because the petition was not in the…
Did the Missouri AG approve the Auditor's fiscal note summary for Heidi Miller's initiative petition (20-053) amending Chapter 208 (Medicaid)?
Attorney General Eric Schmitt approved the State Auditor's fiscal note summary for Heidi Miller's initiative petition 20-053, a proposed amendment to Chapter 208 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri (t…
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of the Pauly Lentz initiative petition to amend Chapter 128, RSMo?
Attorney General Eric Schmitt rejected the form of the Pauly Lentz initiative petition (2020-058), which proposed to amend Chapter 128 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri. The petition did not bracket…
Did the Missouri AG approve the fiscal note summary for Winston Apple's initiative petition (20-049) amending Chapters 286 and 143?
Attorney General Eric Schmitt approved the State Auditor's fiscal note summary for Winston Apple's initiative petition (20-049), a proposed amendment to Chapter 286 (Labor and Industrial Relations) an…
Did the Missouri AG approve the ballot summary for the Apple capital-gains-tax petition funding 90% wind and solar electricity?
Attorney General Eric Schmitt approved the Secretary of State's summary statement for the Winston Apple initiative petition (2020-048), which proposed amending Chapters 143 and 286 of the Revised Stat…
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of the Mark Pedersen petition to amend Article XIV of the Missouri Constitution?
Attorney General Eric Schmitt rejected the form of the Mark Pedersen initiative petition (2020-057), which proposed to amend Article XIV of the Missouri Constitution, because the petition did not brac…
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of the Shetova Hayes initiative petition to amend Chapter 558 of the Revised Statutes?
Attorney General Eric Schmitt approved the form of the Shetova Hayes initiative petition (2020-056), which proposed to amend Chapter 558 of the Revised Statutes of Missouri (criminal sentencing). § 11…
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of the Steven Reed initiative petition to amend Article I of the Missouri Constitution?
Attorney General Eric Schmitt approved the form of the Steven Reed initiative petition (2020-055), which proposed to amend Article I of the Missouri Constitution (Bill of Rights). § 116.332 leaves fin…
Did the Missouri AG approve the State Auditor's fiscal note summary for the Winston Apple initiative on Chapters 286 and 143?
Yes. The Missouri AG approved the legal content and form of the State Auditor's fiscal note summary for Winston Apple's initiative petition (20-048), which proposed amendments to Chapter 286 (Labor an…
Did the Missouri AG approve the Secretary of State's ballot summary for the Winston Apple petition to shrink the House and adopt party-list voting?
Yes. The Missouri AG approved the legal content and form of the Secretary of State's summary statement for Winston Apple's initiative petition (2020-046, version 2), which would have amended Article I…
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of the Christopher Pieper initiative petition to amend Article VI (2020-054)?
Yes. The Missouri AG approved the form of Christopher Pieper's initiative petition (2020-054), which proposed to amend Article VI of the Missouri Constitution. Article VI covers local government, coun…
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of the Heidi Miller initiative petition to amend Chapter 208 (2020-053)?
Yes. The Missouri AG approved the form of Heidi Miller's initiative petition (2020-053), which proposed to amend Chapter 208, Revised Statutes of Missouri (which governs public assistance and Medicaid…
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of the Heidi Miller initiative petition to amend Article IV (2020-052)?
No. The Missouri AG rejected the form of Heidi Miller's initiative petition (2020-052), which would have amended Article IV of the Missouri Constitution, because the petition was not in the form presc…
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of the Mark Pedersen petition to amend Article XVI (2020-051)?
No. The Missouri AG rejected the form of Mark Pedersen's initiative petition (2020-051) to amend Article XVI of the Missouri Constitution because the petition did not show deletions in brackets and ne…
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of the Jackie Johnson initiative petition (2020-050)?
No. The Missouri AG rejected the form of Jackie Johnson's initiative petition (2020-050) on two grounds: (1) the petition was not in the form prescribed by § 116.040, RSMo (structural form requirement…
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of the Winston Apple initiative petition to amend Chapters 143 and 286 (version 2020-049)?
Yes. The Missouri AG approved the form of Winston Apple's initiative petition (2020-049), which proposed to amend Chapter 143 (Income Tax) and Chapter 286 (Labor and Industrial Relations) of the Revis…
Did the Missouri AG approve the State Auditor's fiscal note summary for Winston Apple's initiative petition (20-046) amending Article III of the Missouri Constitution?
Yes. The Missouri AG approved the legal content and form of the State Auditor's fiscal note summary for Winston Apple's Article III initiative petition (20-046). The Auditor estimated state legislativ…
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of the Winston Apple initiative petition to amend Chapters 143 and 286 (2020-048)?
Yes. The Missouri AG approved the form of Winston Apple's initiative petition (2020-048), which proposed to amend Chapter 143 (Income Tax) and Chapter 286 (Labor and Industrial Relations) of the Revis…
Did the Missouri AG approve the fiscal note summary for Christopher Pieper's Article VI petition (20-042) on St. Louis County metropolitan consolidation?
Yes. The AG approved the legal content and form of the fiscal note summary the State Auditor prepared for Christopher Pieper's initiative petition 20-042. The summary told voters individual St. Louis …
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of Winston Apple's version-2 Article III initiative petition 2020-046?
Yes. The AG approved the form of Winston Apple's initiative petition 2020-046, version 2, which proposed to amend Article III (the Legislative Department) of the Missouri Constitution. Approval is for…
Did the Missouri AG approve the Secretary of State's ballot summary for Rik Combs's Article X personal-property-tax petition 2020-038?
Yes. The AG approved the legal content and form of the summary statement the Secretary of State prepared for Rik Combs's initiative petition 2020-038. The summary asked voters whether Missouri should …
Did the Missouri AG approve the form of Christopher Pieper's initiative petition 2020-042 to restructure local government under Article VI?
Yes. The AG approved the form of Christopher Pieper's initiative petition 2020-042, which proposed to amend Article VI of the Missouri Constitution. Approval is procedural form review only. § 116.332 …
Did the Missouri AG approve the fiscal note summary for Rik Combs's initiative petition (20-038) amending Article X of the Missouri Constitution?
Yes. The AG approved the legal content and form of the fiscal note summary the State Auditor prepared for Rik Combs's initiative petition 20-038, a proposed amendment to Article X (taxation) of the Mi…
Did the Missouri AG approve the ballot summary for Damien Johnson's Article III petition 2020-032 on initiative-process reforms?
Yes. The AG approved the form of the Secretary of State's summary statement for Damien Johnson's initiative petition 2020-032. The statement matches the parallel 2020-030 summary (Op. 47-2019), asking…
Why did the Missouri AG reject Winston Apple's initiative petition 2020-041?
Rejected for the same technical-form failure as petition 2020-040. The AG concluded petition 2020-041 did not include deletions in brackets and additions underlined as required by § 116.050, RSMo. Bec…
Why did the Missouri AG reject Winston Apple's initiative petition 2020-040?
Rejected for technical-form failure. The AG concluded petition 2020-040 did not include 'all matter which is to be deleted included in its proper place enclosed in brackets and all new matter shown un…
Did the Missouri AG approve the ballot summary for Damien Johnson's Article III petition 2020-030 on initiative-process reforms?
Yes. The AG approved the form of the Secretary of State's summary statement for Damien Johnson's initiative petition 2020-030. The statement asked voters whether to amend the Missouri Constitution to …
Did the Missouri AG approve the fiscal note summary for Damien Johnson's Article III initiative petition 20-032?
Yes. The AG approved as to legal content and form the State Auditor's fiscal note summary for Damien Johnson's initiative petition 20-032, a proposed amendment to Article III of the Missouri Constitut…
Did the Missouri AG approve the ballot summary for Gerald Peterson's petition 2020-027 expanding Medicaid and family-planning funding?
Yes. The AG approved the form of the Secretary of State's summary statement for Gerald Peterson's initiative petition 2020-027. The statement asked voters whether to amend Chapter 208 of RSMo to (1) e…
Did the Missouri AG approve the ballot summary for Gerald Peterson's petition 2020-026 reinstating the corporate franchise tax?
Yes. The AG approved the form of the Secretary of State's summary statement for Gerald Peterson's initiative petition 2020-026. The statement asked voters whether to amend Chapter 147 of RSMo to reins…
Did the Missouri AG approve the ballot summary for Damien Johnson's earlier Article III petition 2020-025 on initiative-process reforms?
Yes. The AG approved the form of the summary statement for Damien Johnson's initiative petition 2020-025, the earliest in his series of Article III initiative-process reform petitions. The package is …
Did the Missouri AG approve the ballot summary for Patricia Thomas's Article V petition 2020-024 (version 2) making appellate judges run in nonpartisan-but-endorsable elections?
Yes. The AG approved the form of the Secretary of State's summary statement for Patricia Thomas's initiative petition 2020-024, version 2. This version (paired with the more strictly partisan version …
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Attorney general opinions in Missouri are written by the Missouri Attorney General's office in response to questions from state agencies, legislators, and prosecutors. They are not binding like court decisions, but courts and agencies treat them as persuasive guidance on how state law applies. Every opinion above has a plain-English question and short answer, plus a link to the full original text.