What fiscal note summary did the Missouri Attorney General approve for Mary Anne Sedey’s petition 20-078?

Plain-English summary

On July 18, 2019, Missouri Attorney General Eric Schmitt approved the legal content and form of a fiscal note summary for Mary Anne Sedey’s initiative petition (20-078). The State Auditor’s summary said state entities expected one-time costs of at least $1 million and possible ongoing costs. That figure is a floor in the summary, not a cap. Official opinion.

The summary also said local governments expected costs of an unknown amount totaling at least $745,000 in one-time costs, $49,000 in annual costs, and $181,000 per election. The AG expressly said its mandated review should not be construed as endorsement of the petition or its proponents’ objectives.

What this means for you

Voters and researchers. This opinion supplies the fiscal note summary submitted for petition 20-078. It does not describe the petition’s substantive provisions or establish its ballot outcome.

Election officials and local governments. The AG approved the summary’s legal content and form under § 116.175.4, RSMo. The state-cost phrase is "at least $1 million" and leaves ongoing state costs possible.

Common questions

Was the state’s one-time cost estimate capped at $1 million?

No. The approved summary says "at least $1 million and possible ongoing costs."

What local costs did the summary give?

It reported an unknown amount totaling at least $745,000 in one-time costs, $49,000 annually, and $181,000 per election.

Did the AG endorse the petition?

No. The letter expressly disclaims any endorsement or view on the objectives of its proponents.

Background and statutory framework

The State Auditor submitted the fiscal note and summary under § 116.175, RSMo. The AG approved the summary’s legal content and form under § 116.175.4, RSMo. The opinion gives no assessment of the petition’s substance or the source of each cost estimate. Read the official letter.

Citations

• § 116.175, RSMo (fiscal note submission).
• § 116.175.4, RSMo (AG review of the summary).

Source

• Landing page: https://ago.mo.gov/other-resources/ag-opinions/
• Original PDF: https://ago.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/attachments/128-2019.pdf

Original opinion text

ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MISSOURI
ERIC SCHMITT

July 18, 2019
OPINION LETTER NO. 128-2019

The Honorable Nicole Galloway
Missouri State Auditor
State Capitol, Room 121
Jefferson City, MO 65101

Dear Auditor Galloway:

This office received your letter of July 8, 2019, submitting a fiscal note and fiscal note summary prepared under § 116.175, RSMo, for an initiative petition submitted by Mary Anne Sedey (20-078). The fiscal note summary that you submitted is as follows:

State governmental entities expect one-time costs of at least $1 million and possible ongoing costs. Local governments are expected to have costs of an unknown amount totaling at least $745,000 in one-time costs, $49,000 in annual costs, and $181,000 in costs per election.

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.

Very truly yours,

ERIC S. SCHMITT
Attorney General

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

OP-2019-0153