Did Missouri approve the ballot wording for a measure requiring charter counties to elect their assessors?

Plain-English summary

Missouri Attorney General Andrew Bailey approved the legal content and form of the proposed summary statement for the House Committee Substitute for House Joint Resolution Nos. 23 & 3. Unlike the citizen initiative petitions the office reviews, this measure is a legislatively referred constitutional amendment. The statement described requiring all charter counties, including Jackson County, to provide for the election of a county assessor, and requiring assessors in all charter counties to comply with any training requirements established by general law.

The attorney general reviewed the statement under § 116.334, RSMo for its legal content and form. The approval did not endorse the measure.

What this means for you

Charter county officials and Jackson County residents

Missouri's charter counties can structure some offices through their own charters. The reviewed statement described requiring those counties, Jackson County named specifically, to elect the assessor rather than appoint the position, and to follow statewide assessor training rules. Jackson County's method of selecting its assessor has been a recurring point of dispute, which is why the measure named it directly.

Property owners

A county assessor sets the values that drive property tax bills. This opinion approves only the ballot summary voters would read; it does not change how any assessment is done.

Missouri voters and researchers

Opinion 113-2025 records approval of the summary statement for HCS for HJR Nos. 23 & 3. The attorney general expressly did not endorse the measure or its objectives.

Common questions

Q: What would the amendment require?
A: That all charter counties, including Jackson County, provide for the election of a county assessor, and that assessors in charter counties meet any training requirements set by general law.

Q: Why is Jackson County named specifically?
A: The summary statement singles out Jackson County among the charter counties covered by the requirement.

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

Background and statutory framework

The Secretary of State requested review by letter dated June 18, 2025. Under § 116.334, RSMo, the attorney general reviews a proposed summary statement for its legal content and form. The attorney general approved the statement on June 27, 2025.

The measure was the House Committee Substitute for House Joint Resolution Nos. 23 & 3, a proposed amendment to the Missouri Constitution.

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/113-2025.pdf

Original opinion text

ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MISSOURI
ANDREW BAILEY

June 27, 2025

OPINION LETTER NO. 113-2025

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 18, 2025, for our review under § 116.334, RSMo, of a proposed summary statement for House Committee Substitute for for House Joint Resolution Nos. 23 & 3 regarding a proposed constitutional amendment of the Missouri Constitution. The proposed summary statement is as follows:

Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:
• require all charter counties, including Jackson County, to provide for the election of a county assessor; and
• require assessors in all charter counties to comply with any training requirements established by general law?

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-2025-124

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