Did Missouri approve the no-cost fiscal note summary for Terrence Wise's initiative petition 2026-043?
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This page answers the general question as of 2025. Ezel answers yours: what it means for your facts, under current Missouri law, with citations.
Plain-English summary
Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey approved the legal content and form of the fiscal note summary for Terrence Wise's initiative petition 2026-043. The submitted summary said state and local governmental entities estimated no costs or savings.
The review was limited. Under § 116.175.4, RSMo, the attorney general did not examine the fairness or sufficiency of the estimated fiscal impact and did not endorse the petition or its objectives.
What this means for you
Initiative petition proponents
The fiscal note summary for petition 2026-043 passed the attorney general's legal-content and form review. The opinion did not evaluate whether the no-cost estimate was fair or sufficient.
Missouri State Auditor staff
The opinion approved the submitted sentence stating that state and local governmental entities estimated no costs or savings.
State and local government researchers
Opinion 85-2025 records the fiscal estimate included in the reviewed summary, while expressly limiting the attorney general's review of that estimate.
Common questions
Q: What fiscal impact did the summary report?
A: It stated that state and local governmental entities estimated no costs or savings.
Q: Did the attorney general approve the fiscal note summary?
A: Yes. The attorney general approved its legal content and form under § 116.175.4, RSMo.
Q: Did the opinion verify that the fiscal estimate was fair or sufficient?
A: No. The opinion expressly said the review did not examine the fairness or sufficiency of the estimated fiscal impact.
Background and statutory framework
The Missouri State Auditor submitted the fiscal note and fiscal note summary on June 2, 2025. They were prepared under § 116.175, RSMo for Terrence Wise's petition 2026-043.
The attorney general issued the approval on June 12, 2025. The opinion limited its review to legal content and form and disclaimed any endorsement of the petition.
Citations and references
Statutes: § 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/85-2025.pdf
Original opinion text
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MISSOURI
ANDREW BAILEY
June 12, 2025
OPINION LETTER NO. 85-2025
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 June 2, 2025, submitting a fiscal note and fiscal note summary prepared under § 116.175, RSMo, for an initiative petition submitted by Terrence Wise, 2026-043. The fiscal note summary that you submitted is as follows:
State and local governmental entities estimate no costs or savings.
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-2025-096
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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