Did Missouri approve ballot wording protecting initiative procedures from higher thresholds and delayed court review?

Plain-English summary

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey approved the legal content and form of the proposed summary statement for Jamie Howard's initiative petition 2026-066. The statement described prohibiting legislative changes to citizen-initiated laws without approval by 80% of legislators.

It also described barring constitutional amendments from limiting initiative or referendum powers through higher signature thresholds, narrower subjects, or delayed judicial review. Most measures would appear on general-election ballots unless 80% of legislators and the governor approved a single-measure special election. Courts would correct misleading ballot titles, and current vote and signature requirements would remain. The opinion did not endorse the petition.

What this means for you

Missouri voters and initiative proponents

The reviewed statement described preserving current vote and signature requirements for proposing, enacting, or rejecting laws by initiative or referendum.

State legislators and election officials

The statement described 80% approval for legislative changes and for a single-measure special election with the governor.

Courts and election lawyers

The statement identified delayed judicial review as a prohibited restriction and described prompt court correction of misleading ballot titles.

Common questions

Q: What legislative threshold did the statement identify?
A: Approval by 80% of legislators for changing citizen-initiated laws.

Q: Which restrictions did the statement identify?
A: Higher signature thresholds, narrower subjects, and delayed judicial review.

Q: What would happen to current petition requirements?
A: The statement described preserving current vote and signature requirements.

Q: What did it say about ballot titles?
A: It described requiring courts to correct misleading titles promptly.

Background and statutory framework

The Missouri Secretary of State requested review on July 2, 2025. The attorney general reviewed the proposed summary statement under § 116.334, RSMo and approved it on July 11, 2025.

The proposal was identified as Jamie Howard's petition 2026-066. The opinion reproduced the statement's five provisions concerning legislative changes, initiative restrictions, elections, ballot titles, and petition requirements.

Citations and references

Statute: § 116.334, RSMo.

Source

• Landing page: https://ago.mo.gov/other-resources/ag-opinions/
• Original PDF: https://ago.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/127-2025.pdf

Original opinion text

ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MISSOURI
ANDREW BAILEY

July 11, 2025

OPINION LETTER NO. 127-2025

The Honorable Denny Hoskins
Missouri Secretary of State
James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center
600 West Main Street
Jefferson City, MO 65101

Dear Secretary Hoskins:

This opinion letter responds to your request dated July 2, 2025 for our review under § 116.334, RSMo of a proposed summary statement prepared for the petition submitted by Jamie Howard, 2026-066. The proposed summary statement is as follows:

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:

• Prohibit the legislature from changing citizen-initiated laws without approval by 80% of legislators;

• Bar constitutional amendments from limiting initiative or referendum powers, including by raising signature thresholds, narrowing subjects, or delaying judicial review;

• Require most ballot measures to appear on general election ballots unless a single-measure special election is approved by 80% of legislators and the governor;

• Require courts to promptly correct misleading ballot titles; and

• Preserve current vote and signature requirements for proposing, enacting, or rejecting laws by initiative or referendum?

Pursuant to § 116.334, RSMo, we approve the legal content and form of the proposed statement. Because our review of the statement is mandated by statute, no action that we take with respect to such review should be construed as an endorsement of the petition, nor as the expression of any view regarding the objectives of its proponents.

Very truly yours,

ANDREW BAILEY
Attorney General

OP-2025-139

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