What fiscal impact did Missouri approve for Eapen Thampy's initiative petition 2026-144?

Plain-English summary

Missouri Attorney General Catherine L. Hanaway approved the legal content and form of the fiscal note summary for Eapen Thampy's initiative petition 2026-144, version 4.

The approved summary reported an annual, potentially significant but unknown loss of federal funding. State entities estimated annual state revenue would decrease by $51.4 million and annual local revenue would decrease by $39.4 million. They also expected one-time costs of $173.3 million to $222.5 million and increased annual costs of at least $459.2 million.

The review under § 116.175, RSMo did not endorse the petition or express a view on its objectives.

What this means for you

State and local finance officials

Opinion 318-2025 preserved the submitted estimates for revenue losses, one-time implementation costs, annual costs, and uncertain federal funding.

Initiative petition proponents

The fiscal note summary passed legal-content and form review. The approval did not endorse petition 2026-144.

Budget analysts and ballot-measure researchers

The summary separated the projected effects into unknown federal losses, annual state and local revenue decreases, one-time costs, and recurring annual costs.

Common questions

Q: What annual revenue losses were estimated?
A: $51.4 million in state revenue and $39.4 million in local revenue.

Q: What one-time costs were estimated?
A: Between $173.3 million and $222.5 million.

Q: What recurring costs were estimated?
A: Increased annual costs of at least $459.2 million, plus a potentially significant unknown annual loss of federal funding.

Background and statutory framework

The State Auditor submitted the fiscal note and summary on October 1, 2025 for Eapen Thampy's version 4 petition 2026-144.

The Attorney General issued Opinion 318-2025 on October 10, 2025 and approved the summary's legal content and form under § 116.175, RSMo.

Citations and references

Statute: § 116.175, RSMo.

Source

• Landing page: https://ago.mo.gov/other-resources/ag-opinions/
• Original PDF: https://ago.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/318-2025.pdf

Original opinion text

ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MISSOURI
CATHERINE L. HANAWAY

October 10, 2025

OPINION LETTER NO. 318-2025

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 October 1, 2025, submitting a fiscal note and fiscal note summary prepared under § 116.175, RSMo, for an initiative petition submitted by Eapen Thampy (2026-144), version 4. The fiscal note summary that you submitted is as follows:

State entities estimate an annual potentially significant unknown loss of federal funding, and annual decreased state revenue of $51.4 million and decreased local revenue of $39.4 million. State entities expect one-time costs of $173.3 million to $222.5 million and increased annual costs of at least $459.2 million.

Under § 116.175, 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 petition or as the expression of any view regarding the objectives of its proponents.

Very truly yours,

CATHERINE L. HANAWAY
Missouri Attorney General

OP-2025-343

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