Did Missouri approve the summary statement for Jamie Howard's initiative and referendum protections proposal?

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 2026-036. The statement described protections against laws that would make initiatives or referendums harder, invalidation of such laws or amendments made after December 31, 2024, 80 percent legislative thresholds for certain changes and off-cycle statewide elections, court authority to rewrite misleading ballot language, existing signature requirements, and a definition of statewide ballot measures.

The review was limited to the summary statement under § 116.334, RSMo. The opinion did not endorse the petition or express a view about its objectives.

What this means for you

Missouri voters

The reviewed statement combined initiative and referendum protections with election timing, ballot-language review, and signature rules. The opinion addressed the statement's legal content and form, not the proposal's merits.

Initiative and referendum proponents

The summary statement for petition 2026-036 passed the attorney general's review under § 116.334, RSMo. The approval did not amount to endorsement of the proposal.

Election lawyers and ballot-measure researchers

Opinion 54-2025 records the summary-statement approval for a proposal covering several parts of Missouri's direct-democracy process.

Common questions

Q: What legislative vote threshold did the statement describe?
A: Eighty percent majorities of both the House and Senate for changing citizen-initiated laws, re-passing rejected laws, or calling statewide ballot elections outside general election day.

Q: What role would courts have under the proposal?
A: The statement said courts could rewrite misleading ballot language if challenged.

Q: Would the proposal change signature requirements?
A: The statement said it would maintain current signature requirements for initiatives and referendums.

Background and statutory framework

The Missouri Secretary of State requested review on May 2, 2025. The attorney general reviewed the proposed summary statement under § 116.334, RSMo and approved it on May 12, 2025.

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/54-2025.pdf

Original opinion text

ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MISSOURI
ANDREW BAILEY

May 12, 2025

OPINION LETTER NO. 54-2025

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 May 2, 2025 for our review under § 116.334, RSMo of a proposed summary statement prepared for the petition submitted by Jamie Howard, 2026-036. The proposed summary statement is as follows:

Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to:

• prohibit laws or amendments that would make it harder to propose or pass initiatives or reject laws by referendum;

• invalidate any such laws or amendments made after December 31, 2024;

• require 80% majorities of the House and Senate to change citizen-initiated laws or re-pass rejected laws;

• require 80% majorities to call statewide ballot measure elections outside the general election day;

• allow courts to rewrite misleading ballot language if challenged;

• maintain current signature requirements for initiatives and referendums; and

• define "statewide ballot measures" to include those proposed by the legislature or citizens?

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-2025-060

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