Review and approval of the sufficiency as to form of an initiative petition submitted by Lisa D'Souza amending Chapter 290, RSMo (2024-025).

STAND XESTO MDCCCXX ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MISSOURI ANDREW BAILEY January 17, 2023 OPINION LETTER NO. 5-2023 The Honorable John R. Ashcroft Missouri Secretary of State James C. Kirkpatrick State Information Center 600 West Main Street Jefferson City, MO 65101 Dear Secretary Ashcroft: This opinion letter responds to your request dated January 5, 2023 for our review under § 116.332, RSMo of the sufficiency as to form of an initiative petition to amend Chapter 290, Revised Statutes of Missouri, submitted by Lisa D'Souza, 2024-025. We approve the petition as to form, but § 116.332 gives the Secretary of State final authority to approve or reject the petition. Therefore, our approval of the form of the petition does not preclude you from rejecting the petition. Because our review of the petition is simply for the purpose of determining sufficiency as to form, the fact that we do not reject the petition is not to be construed as a determination that the petition is sufficient as to substance. Likewise, because our review is mandated by statute, no action that we take with respect to such review should be construed as an endorsement of the petition or of the objectives of its proponents, or the expression of any view respecting the adequacy or inadequacy of the petition generally. Very truly yours, ANDREW BAILEY Attorney General Broadway Building P.O. Box 899 Jefferson City, MO 65102 Phone: (573) 751-3321 OP-2023-005 Fax: (573) 751-0774 www.ago.mo.gov