What fiscal impact did Missouri approve for Deirdre Hirner's initiative petition 2026-136?
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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 Catherine L. Hanaway approved the legal content and form of the fiscal note summary for Deirdre Hirner's initiative petition 2026-136.
The approved summary reported unknown state-government costs or savings because the number of applications, the number approved, and the amount of state financing were unclear. Kansas City estimated a negative fiscal impact. Other local governmental entities estimated no costs or savings.
The review was limited to legal content and form under § 116.175, RSMo. The opinion said approval was not an endorsement of the petition or its proponents' objectives.
What this means for you
Initiative petition proponents
The fiscal note summary for petition 2026-136 passed the Attorney General's legal-content and form review. The opinion did not endorse the proposal.
State and Kansas City finance officials
The approved summary preserved uncertainty at the state level and Kansas City's estimate of a negative fiscal impact.
Public-finance researchers
Opinion 313-2025 records different estimates by government level: unknown state effects, a negative Kansas City effect, and no estimated effect for other local governments.
Common questions
Q: Why were the state costs or savings unknown?
A: The summary said the number of applications and approvals and the amount of state financing were unclear.
Q: What did Kansas City estimate?
A: A negative fiscal impact.
Q: What did other local governments estimate?
A: No costs or savings.
Background and statutory framework
The Missouri State Auditor submitted the fiscal note and summary on September 25, 2025 for Deirdre Hirner's petition 2026-136.
The Attorney General issued Opinion 313-2025 on October 8, 2025 and approved the summary's legal content and form under § 116.175, RSMo.
Citations and references
Statute: § 116.175, RSMo.
Source
- Landing page: https://ago.mo.gov/other-resources/ag-opinions/
- Original PDF: https://ago.mo.gov/wp-content/uploads/313-2025.pdf
Original opinion text
ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MISSOURI
CATHERINE L. HANAWAY
October 8, 2025
OPINION LETTER NO. 313-2025
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 September 25, 2025, submitting a fiscal note and fiscal note summary prepared under § 116.175, RSMo, for an initiative petition submitted by Deirdre Hirner (2026-136). The fiscal note summary that you submitted is as follows:
State governmental entities estimate unknown costs or savings because it is unclear how many applications would be received and approved and how much state financing would be involved. The city of Kansas City estimates a negative fiscal impact. Other local governmental entities estimate no costs or savings.
Under § 116.175, 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 petition or as the expression of any view regarding the objectives of its proponents.
Very truly yours,
CATHERINE L. HANAWAY
Missouri Attorney General
OP-2025-339
Supreme Court Building, 207 W. High Street, P.O. Box 899, Jefferson City, MO 65102 | Phone: (573) 751-3321 | www.ago.mo.gov
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