COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH
OVERSIGHT DIVISION
FISCAL NOTE
L.R. No.:4650S.05I Bill No.:SJR 83 Subject:Constitutional Amendments Type:Original Date:January 18, 2024Bill Summary:This proposal modifies provisions relating to constitutional amendments.
FISCAL SUMMARY
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON GENERAL REVENUE FUNDFUND AFFECTEDFY 2025FY 2026FY 2027
General Revenue*
$0 or (More than
$8,000,000)$0$0
Total Estimated Net
Effect on General
Revenue
$0 or (More than
$8,000,000)$0$0
*The potential fiscal impact of “(More than $8,000,000)” would be realized only if a special
election were called by the Governor to submit this joint resolution to voters.
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON OTHER STATE FUNDSFUND AFFECTEDFY 2025FY 2026FY 2027Total Estimated Net
Effect on Other State
Funds $0$0$0
Numbers within parentheses: () indicate costs or losses. L.R. No. 4650S.05I
Bill No. SJR 83
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ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FEDERAL FUNDSFUND AFFECTEDFY 2025FY 2026FY 2027Total Estimated Net
Effect on All Federal
Funds $0$0$0
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FULL TIME EQUIVALENT (FTE)FUND AFFECTEDFY 2025FY 2026FY 2027Total Estimated Net
Effect on FTE 000
☒ Estimated Net Effect (expenditures or reduced revenues) expected to exceed $250,000 in any
of the three fiscal years after implementation of the act or at full implementation of the act.
☐ Estimated Net Effect (savings or increased revenues) expected to exceed $250,000 in any of
the three fiscal years after implementation of the act or at full implementation of the act.
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON LOCAL FUNDSFUND AFFECTEDFY 2025FY 2026FY 2027Local Government$0*$0$0
*The potential fiscal impact to local election authorities (reimbursed by the state) would be
realized only if a special election were called by the Governor to submit this joint resolution to
voters. L.R. No. 4650S.05I
Bill No. SJR 83
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January 18, 2024
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FISCAL ANALYSIS
ASSUMPTION
Officials from the Missouri Senate, the Missouri House of Representatives and the Missouri
Ethics Commission each assume no fiscal impact from the joint resolution.
Officials from Office of the Secretary of State (SOS) assume, each year, a number of joint
resolutions that would refer to a vote of the people a constitutional amendment and bills that
would refer to a vote of the people the statutory issue in the legislation may be considered by the
General Assembly.
Unless a special election is called for the purpose, Joint Resolutions proposing a constitutional
amendment are submitted to a vote of the people at the next general election. Article XII section
2(b) of the Missouri Constitution authorizes the governor to order a special election for
constitutional amendments referred to the people. If a special election is called to submit a Joint
Resolution to a vote of the people, section 115.063.2 RSMo requires the state to pay the costs.
The cost of the special election has been estimated to be $8 million based on the cost of the 2022
primary and general election reimbursements.
The Secretary of State’s office is required to pay for publishing in local newspapers the full text
of each statewide ballot measure as directed by Article XII, Section 2(b) of the Missouri
Constitution and Section 116.230-116.290, RSMo. Funding for this item is adjusted each year
depending upon the election cycle. A new decision item is requested in odd numbered fiscal
years and the amount requested is dependent upon the estimated number of ballot measures that
will be approved by the General Assembly and the initiative petitions certified for the ballot. In
FY 2014, the General Assembly changed the appropriation so that it was no longer an estimated
appropriation.
For the FY25 petitions cycle, the SOS estimates publication costs at $60,000 per page. This
amount is subject to change based on number of petitions received, length of those petitions and
rates charged by newspaper publishers.
The Secretary of State’s office will continue to assume, for the purposes of this fiscal note, that it
should have the full appropriation authority it needs to meet the publishing requirements.
Because these requirements are mandatory, the SOS reserves the right to request funding to meet
the cost of the publishing requirements if the Governor and the General Assembly again change
the amount or continue to not designate it as an estimated appropriation.
Oversight has reflected, in this fiscal note, the state potentially reimbursing local political
subdivisions the cost of having this joint resolution voted on during a special election in fiscal
year 2025. This reflects the decision made by the Joint Committee on Legislative Research that
the cost of the elections should be shown in the fiscal note. The next scheduled statewide general
election is in November 2024 (FY 2025). It is assumed the subject within this proposal could be L.R. No. 4650S.05I
Bill No. SJR 83
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January 18, 2024
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on this ballot; however, it could also be on a special election called for by the Governor (a
different date). Therefore, Oversight will reflect a potential election cost reimbursement to local
political subdivisions in FY 2025.
FISCAL IMPACT – State GovernmentFY 2025
(10 Mo.)
FY 2026FY 2027GENERAL REVENUETransfer Out - SOS - reimbursement of
local election authority election costs if
a special election is called by the
Governor
$0 or (More
than
$8,000,000)$0$0
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON
GENERAL REVENUE
$0 or (More
than
$8,000,000)$0$0
*The potential fiscal impact of “(More than $8,000,000)” would be realized only if a special
election were called by the Governor to submit this joint resolution to voters.
FISCAL IMPACT – Local GovernmentFY 2025
(10 Mo.)
FY 2026FY 2027LOCAL POLITICAL
SUBDIVISIONS
Transfer In - Local Election
Authorities - reimbursement of election
costs by the State for a special election
$0 or More
than
$8,000,000$0$0
Costs - Local Election Authorities -
cost of a special election if called for by
the Governor
$0 or (More
than
$8,000,000)$0$0
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON
LOCAL POLITICAL
SUBDIVISIONS$0$0$0
FISCAL IMPACT – Small Business
No direct fiscal impact to small businesses would be expected as a result of this proposal. L.R. No. 4650S.05I
Bill No. SJR 83
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FISCAL DESCRIPTION
This constitutional amendment, if approved by the voters, modifies various provisions relating to
constitutional amendments.
VOTER APPROVAL THRESHOLD (SECTIONS 2(B) AND 3(C))
Current law provides that any proposed constitutional amendment or new constitution shall take
effect when approved by a simple majority of the votes cast on the measure. This amendment
requires all proposed constitutional amendments and new constitutions to receive a majority of
the votes cast statewide as well as a majority of the votes cast in at least a majority of the state
House districts.
RESTRICTIONS ON CONSTITUTIONAL AMENDMENTS (SECTION 2(C) AND 2(F))
The amendment prohibits constitutional amendments that would permit public officials to
receive gifts from lobbyists.
Additionally, the General Assembly is given exclusive authority to enact laws enforcing
provisions in the Constitution relating to initiative petitions proposing constitutional
amendments.
PROHIBITING FOREIGN ACTIVITY IN INITIATIVE PETITIONS (SECTION 2(D))
The amendment creates new restrictions relating to foreign government activity with respect to
initiative petitions proposing constitutional amendments. Specifically, it shall be unlawful for:
· A government of a foreign country or a foreign political party to sponsor an initiative petition
proposing a constitutional amendment;
· A government of a foreign country or a foreign political party to directly or indirectly make
contributions in connection with an election on a constitutional amendment or contributions in
support or opposition to a constitutional amendment;
· A government of a foreign country or a foreign political party to directly or indirectly make an
expenditure, independent expenditure, or disbursement for an electioneering communication,
whether print, broadcast, or digital media, or otherwise, related to a constitutional amendment; or
· A person to solicit, accept, or receive a contribution or donation from a government of a foreign
country or a foreign political party, in connection with a constitutional amendment.
LEGAL VOTERS AND ELECTORS (SECTION 2(E))
No person shall be eligible to vote on any measure submitted to the people that amends, repeals,
or replaces the constitution, whether submitted through the initiative petition process, by the
General Assembly, or by a constitutional convention, unless such person is a legal resident of the
state of Missouri and a citizen of the United States of America.
This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other program and would not
require additional capital improvements or rental space. L.R. No. 4650S.05I
Bill No. SJR 83
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SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Office of the Secretary of State
Missouri House of Representatives
Missouri Senate
Missouri Ethics Commission
Julie MorffRoss StropeDirectorAssistant DirectorJanuary 18, 2024January 18, 2024