COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH
OVERSIGHT DIVISION
FISCAL NOTE
L.R. No.:0889S.01I Bill No.:SJR 30 Subject:Constitutional Amendments; Initiative and Referendum Petitions Type:Original Date:March 2, 2025Bill Summary:This proposal modifies the process for proposing and approving
constitutional amendments.
FISCAL SUMMARY
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON GENERAL REVENUE FUNDFUND AFFECTEDFY 2026FY 2027FY 2028
General Revenue*
$0 or (More than
$8,000,000)
$0$0Total 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 2026FY 2027FY 2028Total Estimated Net
Effect on Other State
Funds $0$0$0
Numbers within parentheses: () indicate costs or losses. L.R. No. 0889S.01I
Bill No. SJR 30
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ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FEDERAL FUNDSFUND AFFECTEDFY 2026FY 2027FY 2028Total Estimated Net
Effect on All Federal
Funds $0$0$0
ESTIMATED NET EFFECT ON FULL TIME EQUIVALENT (FTE)FUND AFFECTEDFY 2026FY 2027FY 2028Total 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 2026FY 2027FY 2028Local 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. 0889S.01I
Bill No. SJR 30
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FISCAL ANALYSIS
ASSUMPTION
Officials from the Office of the Secretary of State (SOS) state 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 2023
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 FY22 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, we reserve the right to request funding to meet the
cost of our publishing requirements if the Governor and the General Assembly again change the
amount or continue to not designate it as an estimated appropriation.
Officials from the Kansas City Election Board state the cost to conduct an election in the
Kansas City portion of Jackson County is roughly $800,000. The State would be responsible for
their pro-rata share based on voter registration.
Oversight notes costs would be incurred only if a special election was called by the Governor. L.R. No. 0889S.01I
Bill No. SJR 30
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Officials from the Jackson County Election Board, the Platte County Board of Elections, the
St. Louis City Board of Elections and the St. Louis County Board of Election assume there
will be no fiscal impact from the joint resolution.
FISCAL IMPACT – State GovernmentFY 2026
(10 Mo.)
FY 2027FY 2028GENERAL 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 2026
(10 Mo.)
FY 2027FY 2028LOCAL 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
SUBDIVSIONS$0$0$0 L.R. No. 0889S.01I
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FISCAL IMPACT – Small Business
No direct fiscal impact to small businesses would be expected as a result of this proposal.
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 constitutional amendment or new constitution shall take effect at
the end of 30 days after the election when approved by a simple majority of the votes cast on the
measure. This amendment requires all constitutional amendments proposed by the initiative or
constitutional convention and all 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 Congressional
districts.
PROHIBITING FOREIGN ACTIVITY IN INITIATIVE PETITIONS (Section 2(c))
The amendment creates new restrictions relating to foreign government activity with respect to
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 of or opposition to a proposed 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 proposed 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 proposed constitutional amendment. L.R. No. 0889S.01I
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REVIEW AND COMMENT PERIOD
(Section 2(d))
The amendment requires that legal voters in each Congressional district be given the opportunity
to review and comment upon all initiative petitions proposing constitutional amendments
following the filing of the petition with the Secretary of State, not less than 15 days prior to the
measure appearing on the ballot. Such process shall be administered by the Secretary of State in
a public forum.
This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other program and would not
require additional capital improvements or rental space.
SOURCES OF INFORMATION
Office of the Secretary of State
Jackson County Election Board
Kansas City Election Board
Platte County Board of Elections
St. Louis City Board of Elections
St. Louis County Board of Elections
Julie MorffJessica HarrisDirectorAssistant DirectorMarch 2, 2025March 2, 2025