Did Missouri approve the fiscal note summary for Michael Lester's initiative petition 2026-067?
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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 the State Auditor prepared for Michael Lester's initiative petition 2026-067. The summary estimated that state and local governmental entities expected no costs or savings from the measure.
The attorney general reviewed the summary under § 116.175.4, RSMo, which covers only the summary's legal content and form. The review does not test whether the cost estimate is fair or accurate, and the approval did not endorse the petition.
What this means for you
State and local officials
The approved fiscal note summary reported no expected fiscal impact at the state or local level. The attorney general's approval went to the wording, not the underlying estimate.
Missouri voters and initiative proponents
Opinion 117-2025 clears the fiscal note summary for petition 2026-067 to appear as written. It takes no position on the petition's merits.
Common questions
Q: What did the fiscal note summary estimate?
A: That state and local governmental entities estimate no costs or savings.
Q: Did the attorney general verify the estimate?
A: No. Review under § 116.175.4 covers legal content and form, not the fairness or sufficiency of the estimated fiscal impact.
Q: Did the opinion endorse the petition?
A: No. The approval disclaimed any endorsement of the petition or its objectives.
Background and statutory framework
The State Auditor submitted the fiscal note and fiscal note summary by letter dated June 20, 2025. Under § 116.175, RSMo, the auditor prepares a fiscal note and summary for an initiative petition, and under § 116.175.4, RSMo the attorney general reviews the summary's legal content and form. The attorney general approved the summary on June 30, 2025.
The proposal was identified as Michael Lester's petition 2026-067.
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/117-2025.pdf
Original opinion text
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MISSOURI
ANDREW BAILEY
June 30, 2025
OPINION LETTER NO. 117-2025
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 20, 2025, submitting a fiscal note and fiscal note summary prepared under § 116.175, RSMo, for an initiative petition submitted by Michael Lester, 2026-067. 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-2025-128
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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