SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE BILL NO. 812
101ST GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR EIGEL.
4164S.01I ADRIANE D. CROUSE, Secretary
AN ACT
To repeal section 116.160, RSMo, and to enact in lieu thereof one new section relating to legal
challenges to ballot summaries prepared by the general assembly.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 116.160, RSMo, is repealed and one new 1
section enacted in lieu thereof, to be known as section 116.160, 2
to read as follows:3
116.160. 1. If the general assembly adopts a joint 1
resolution proposing a constitutional amendment or a bill 2
without a fiscal note summary, which is to be referred to a 3
vote of the people, after receipt of such resolution or bill 4
the secretary of state shall promptly forward the resolution 5
or bill to the state auditor. If the general assembly 6
adopts a joint resolution proposing a constitutional 7
amendment or a bill without an official summary statement, 8
which is to be referred to a vote of the people, within 9
twenty days after receipt of the resolution or bill, the 10
secretary of state shall prepare and transmit to the 11
attorney general a summary statement of the measure as the 12
proposed summary statement. The secretary of state may seek 13
the advice of the legislator who introduced the 14
constitutional amendment or bill and the speaker of the 15
house or the president pro tem of the legislative chamber 16
that originated the measure. The summary statement may be 17
distinct from the legislative title of the proposed 18 SB 812 2
constitutional amendment or bill. The attorney general 19
shall within ten days approve the leg al content and form of 20
the proposed statement. If the general assembly adopts a 21
joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment or 22
statutory measure that includes an official summary 23
statement, the statement shall appear on the ballot, and no 24
court shall have the authority to rewrite or edit the 25
summary statement or ballot language. 26
2. The official summary statement shall contain no 27
more than fifty words, excluding articles. The title shall 28
be a true and impartial statement of the purp oses of the 29
proposed measure in language neither intentionally 30
argumentative nor likely to create prejudice either for or 31
against the proposed measure. 32