Did Missouri approve the summary statement for a proposal recognizing marriage between any two consenting adults?

Plain-English summary

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey approved the legal content and form of the proposed summary statement for Katherine Floyd's initiative petition 2026-018. The statement described changing Missouri's marriage definition from marriage only between a man and a woman to a fundamental right to marry for any two consenting adults, with those marriages valid and recognized in the state.

The review was limited to the summary statement under § 116.334, RSMo. The opinion did not endorse the petition or express a view about its objectives.

What this means for you

Missouri voters

The reviewed statement presented the proposal as a change to the constitutional definition of marriage. The opinion addressed the statement's legal content and form, not the proposal's merits.

Initiative petition proponents

The summary statement for petition 2026-018 passed the attorney general's review under § 116.334, RSMo. The approval did not amount to endorsement of the proposal.

Election lawyers and ballot-measure researchers

Opinion 37-2025 records approval of the revised summary statement requested on February 24, 2025.

Common questions

Q: What change did the proposed statement describe?
A: It described replacing the definition of a valid marriage as only between a man and a woman with a right to marry for any two consenting adults.

Q: Did the attorney general endorse the marriage proposal?
A: No. The opinion approved the summary statement's legal content and form and expressly disclaimed endorsement.

Q: Which petition did the statement cover?
A: Katherine Floyd's initiative petition 2026-018.

Background and statutory framework

The Missouri Secretary of State submitted a revised request on February 24, 2025. The attorney general reviewed the proposed summary statement under § 116.334, RSMo and approved it on February 27, 2025.

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/37-2025.pdf

Original opinion text

ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MISSOURI
ANDREW BAILEY

February 27, 2025

OPINION LETTER NO. 37-2025

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 revised request dated February 24, 2025 for our review under § 116.334, RSMo of a proposed summary statement prepared for the petition submitted by Katherine Floyd, 2026-018. The proposed summary statement is as follows:

Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to change the definition of marriage:

• From “A valid marriage in the state of Missouri shall exist only between a man and a woman:”

• To “the right to marry is a fundamental right for any two consenting adults…All such marriages are valid and recognized in this state?”

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-2025-037

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