Did Missouri AG Opinion 20-2024 approve the fiscal note summary for Senate Joint Resolution 78?
Apply this to your situation
This page answers the general question as of 2024. Ask about yours and see what current Missouri law means for your facts, with citations you can check.
Plain-English summary
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey approved the legal content and form of the fiscal note summary for Senate Joint Resolution No. 78. The submitted summary said that state and local governmental entities estimated no costs or savings.
The approval was limited. The Attorney General did not review whether the estimated fiscal impact was fair or sufficient, and the letter expressly disclaimed any endorsement of the proposal or its proponents' objectives.
What this means for you
Voters and ballot-measure sponsors
The opinion confirms only that the fiscal note summary met the legal-content and form review under section 116.175.4. It does not validate the underlying no-cost estimate.
State Auditor and election officials
The Attorney General approved the exact summary submitted by the Auditor. The opinion separates that legal-form function from evaluating the fiscal estimate itself.
Common questions
What fiscal impact did the summary report?
It stated that state and local governmental entities estimated no costs or savings.
Did the Attorney General verify that estimate?
No. The letter says the statutory review did not examine the fairness or sufficiency of the estimated fiscal impact.
Was the approval an endorsement of Senate Joint Resolution No. 78?
No. The Attorney General expressly disclaimed endorsement of the proposal and its objectives.
Background and statutory framework
State Auditor Scott Fitzpatrick submitted the Senate Joint Resolution No. 78 fiscal note summary for review under section 116.175. The Attorney General approved its legal content and form under subsection 4.
Citations and references
- § 116.175, RSMo
- § 116.175.4, RSMo
Source
- Landing page: https://ago.mo.gov/other-resources/ag-opinions/
- Original PDF: https://ago.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/20-2024.pdf
Original opinion text
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MISSOURI
ANDREW BAILEY
June 28, 2024
OPINION LETTER NO. 20-2024
The Honorable Scott Fitzpatrick
Missouri State Auditor
State Capitol, Room 229
Jefferson City, MO 65101
Dear Auditor Fitzpatrick:
This office received your letter of June 20, 2024, submitting a fiscal note summary prepared under § 116.175, RSMo, for Senate Joint Resolution No. 78. The fiscal note summary that you submitted is as follows: State and local governmental entities estimate no costs or saving. 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-2024-022
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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