No. 34-2025

Review and approval of the summary statement prepared for the initiative petition submitted by Jamie Howard amending Article III of the Missouri Constitution (2026-016).

Year: 2025Length: 268 wordsOfficial source

Cite as Mo. Op. Att'y Gen. No. 34-2025

ATTORNEY GENERAL OF MISSOURI ANDREW BAILEY OP-2025-034 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 February 11, 2025 OPINION LETTER NO. 34-2025 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 January 29, 2025 for our review under § 116.334, RSMo of a proposed summary statement prepared for the petition submitted by Jamie Howard, 2026-016. The proposed summary statement is as follows: Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to: • prohibit the legislature from weakening the citizens' direct lawmaking power; • prohibit the legislature from attempting to change any citizen-initiated law or citizen-initiated amendment, except in the event that eighty percent of the House and Senate approve the change; • require that every ballot measure be decided at a general election, except in the event that eighty percent of the House and Senate approve a special election for the measure; and • establish an independent citizens’ commission responsible for preparing every ballot summary and ensuring every ballot summary is clear, unbiased, fair, and accurate? 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
No. 34-2025: Review and approval of the summary statement prepared for the initiative petition submitted by Jamie Howard amending Article III of the Missouri Constitution (2026-016). | Justis AI