SS/SCS/SB 22 - This act provides that if the General Assembly adopts a joint resolution proposing a constitutional amendment or statutory measure to be referred to the people that includes an official summary statement, the statement shall appear on the ballot, and no court shall have the authority to rewrite or edit the summary statement. If such summary statement is challenged in court and the court finds the summary statement to be legally flawed, the court may offer suggested revisions but the summary statement shall only be rewritten by the Secretary of State, unless the General Assembly, by passage of a concurrent resolution, passes a new summary statement prior to 8 weeks before the election.

This provision is substantially similar to SB 1076 (2024), SB 463 (2023), HB 391 (2023), provisions in HCS/SS/SB 812 (2022), HCS/HB 1608 (2022), SB 399 (2021), and the perfected HB 850 (2021).

The act also stipulates that, in any action challenging the summary statement of an initiative petition, a court shall order the Secretary of State to write a new summary statement if the court finds the initial summary statement to be unfair or insufficient. The court may offer suggested revisions for the summary statement to remedy the legal flaws, but only the summary statement prepared by the Secretary shall appear on the ballot.

Furthermore, the act increases the total word limitation on summary statements for ballot measures proposed by the General Assembly from 50 words to 100 words.

SCOTT SVAGERA

Statutes affected:
Introduced (0713S.01): 116.160
Committee (0713S.04): 116.155, 116.160, 116.190

Senate Committee Minutes:
SENATE COMMITTEE MINUTES Bill No.: SB 22
Sponsor: Brattin
Hearing Date: 1/27/2025


COMMITTEE: Local Government, Elections and Pensions

CHAIRMAN: Black

DATE REFERRED: 1/16/2025 DATE HEARING REQUESTED: 1/16/2025



STAFF:
Matt Choinka
Josh Norgerg
Scott Svagera


WITNESSES GIVING INFORMATION:
Chris Roepe - Missouri Association of County Clerks and Election Authorities


WITNESSES FOR:
Susan Klein - Missouri Right to Life
Lisa Pannett - Armorvine
James Harris - FGA Action
Samuel Lee - Campaign Life MO


WITNESSES AGAINST:
Ron Berry - Jobs with Justice Voter Action
Jonathan Schmid - American Civil Liberties Union of Missouri
Marilyn McLeod - League of Women Voters of MO
Elizabeth Franklin
Denise Lieberman - Missouri Voter Protection Coalition