MO Opinion No. 111-2025 June 27, 2025

Did Missouri approve the no-cost fiscal note summary for House Joint Resolution Nos. 23 and 3?

Short answer: Yes. The attorney general approved the fiscal note summary's legal content and form; it estimated no state or local governmental costs or savings, but the review did not examine that estimate's fairness or sufficiency.

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Disclaimer: This is an official Missouri Attorney General opinion. AG opinions are persuasive authority but not binding precedent. This summary is for informational purposes only and is not legal advice. Consult a licensed Missouri attorney for advice on your specific situation.
About this page: The plain-English summary, reader guidance, and Q&A below were written by Ezel based on the official AG opinion. The original opinion (linked on this page as a PDF) is the authoritative source for any reliance.
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Plain-English summary

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey approved the legal content and form of the fiscal note summary for House Joint Resolution Nos. 23 and 3. The submitted summary said state and local governmental entities estimated no costs or savings.

The review was limited. Under § 116.175.4, RSMo, the attorney general did not examine the fairness or sufficiency of the estimated fiscal impact and did not endorse the measure.

What this means for you

State legislators and Missouri voters

Opinion 111-2025 records approval of the fiscal note summary for House Joint Resolution Nos. 23 and 3. The opinion addressed legal content and form, not the measure's merits.

Missouri State Auditor staff

The opinion approved the submitted sentence stating that state and local governmental entities estimated no costs or savings.

State and local government researchers

The opinion preserved the no-cost estimate while expressly limiting the attorney general's review of that estimate.

Common questions

Q: What fiscal impact did the summary report?
A: It stated that state and local governmental entities estimated no costs or savings.

Q: Did the attorney general approve the fiscal note summary?
A: Yes. The attorney general approved its legal content and form under § 116.175.4, RSMo.

Q: Did the opinion verify that the fiscal estimate was fair or sufficient?
A: No. The opinion expressly said the review did not examine the fairness or sufficiency of the estimated fiscal impact.

Background and statutory framework

The Missouri State Auditor submitted the fiscal note and fiscal note summary on June 18, 2025. They were prepared under § 116.175, RSMo for House Joint Resolution Nos. 23 and 3.

The attorney general issued the approval on June 27, 2025. The opinion limited its review to legal content and form.

Citations and references

Statutes: § 116.175, RSMo; § 116.175.4, RSMo.

Source

Original opinion text

ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MISSOURI
ANDREW BAILEY

June 27, 2025

OPINION LETTER NO. 111-2025

The Honorable Scott Fitzpatrick
Missouri State Auditor
Truman State Office Building, Room 880
Jefferson City, MO 65101

Dear Auditor Fitzpatrick:

This office received your letter of June 18, 2025, submitting a fiscal note and fiscal note summary prepared under § 116.175, RSMo, for House Joint Resolution Nos. 23 & 3. The fiscal note summary that you submitted is as follows:

State and local governmental entities estimate no costs or savings.

Under § 116.175.4, RSMo, we approve the legal content and form of the fiscal note summary. Because our review of the fiscal note summary is mandated by statute, no action that we take with respect to such review should be construed as an endorsement of the initiative petition or as the expression of any view regarding the objectives of its proponents. Furthermore, our review under § 116.175.4 does not examine the fairness or sufficiency of the estimated fiscal impact.

Very truly yours,

ANDREW BAILEY
Attorney General

OP-2025-122

Supreme Court Building
207 W. High Street
P.O. Box 899
Jefferson City, MO 65102
Phone: (573) 751-3321
Fax: (573) 751-0774
www.ago.mo.gov

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