Did Missouri approve ballot wording to require 80% legislative votes before changing voter-approved initiatives?

Plain-English summary

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey approved the legal content and form of the proposed summary statement for Jamie Howard's initiative petition 2026-046. The statement described prohibiting the legislature from weakening the initiative and referendum process through higher signature thresholds, shorter deadlines, subject restrictions, or increased vote requirements.

It also described requiring 80% approval in both legislative chambers for an act or amendment changing a voter-approved initiative, nullifying violations, holding statewide votes at general elections unless both chambers approved a special election by 80%, requiring fair and unbiased ballot summaries, and preserving existing petition thresholds and citizen standing. The opinion did not endorse the petition.

What this means for you

Missouri voters and initiative proponents

The reviewed statement described protections for the initiative and referendum process, voter-approved measures, existing signature and vote requirements, and citizen standing to challenge violations.

State legislators and election officials

The statement described an 80% vote in both chambers for changes to voter-approved initiatives and for special-election approval. It also described nullifying laws or amendments that violated the stated rules.

Election lawyers and ballot-measure researchers

Opinion 99-2025 records approval of the statement's initiative safeguards and fair, unbiased ballot-summary requirement. The attorney general addressed legal content and form, not the proposal's merits.

Common questions

Q: What legislative vote did the statement require for changing an approved initiative?
A: Eighty percent approval in both legislative chambers.

Q: When would statewide measures be voted on?
A: The statement described general-election voting unless 80% of both chambers approved a special election.

Q: What did the statement say about ballot summaries?
A: It described requiring fair and unbiased ballot summaries.

Q: Did the statement include citizen standing?
A: Yes. It described reaffirming existing petition requirements, including citizen standing to challenge violations.

Background and statutory framework

The Missouri Secretary of State requested review on June 13, 2025. The attorney general reviewed the proposed summary statement under § 116.334, RSMo and approved it on June 23, 2025.

The proposal was identified as Jamie Howard's petition 2026-046. The opinion reproduced the six-part statement concerning initiative restrictions, legislative supermajorities, elections, ballot summaries, petition thresholds, and standing.

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/99-2025.pdf

Original opinion text

ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MISSOURI
ANDREW BAILEY

June 23, 2025

OPINION LETTER NO. 99-2025

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 request dated June 13, 2025 for our review under § 116.334, RSMo of a proposed summary statement prepared for the petition submitted by Jamie Howard, 2026-046. The proposed summary statement is as follows:

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:

• prohibit the legislature from weakening the initiative and referendum process, including by raising signature thresholds, shortening deadlines, restricting subjects, or increasing vote requirements;

• bar any legislative act or amendment that changes a voter-approved initiative unless eighty percent of both legislative chambers approve;

• nullify any law or amendment violating these rules;

• require all statewide measures be voted on at general elections unless eighty percent of both chambers approve a special election;

• require fair, unbiased ballot summaries; and

• reaffirm existing signature and vote requirements for initiative and referendum petitions, including citizen standing to challenge violations?

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-2025-110

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