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Missouri House Bill 3146 Modifies Ballot Summary Statements and Legal Challenge Timelines
Original title: BALLOT SUMMARY STATEMENTS
Last action · May 7, 2026: Placed on Informal CalendarSponsor: John Simmons
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What This Bill Would Do
House Bill 3146 revises procedures and timelines for statewide ballot measure summary statements, signature gathering during legal challenges, and court review processes in Missouri. The bill modifies word count limits for ballot summary statements and establishes specific deadlines for courts and the secretary of state when ballot titles are contested.
Why it matters
The measure directly impacts how statewide ballot measures and constitutional amendments are presented to voters, altering the legal avenues and strict deadlines for citizens challenging ballot language in court.
Background
- House Bill 3146 addresses ballot summary statements and legal challenge procedures within Chapter 116 of the Missouri Revised Statutes. context
Who It Would Affect
Groups the bill's text would affect if enacted, as described in the record. Being affected is not a position for or against it.
Directly affected
Citizens challenging ballot titles
Citizens may bring legal actions in the circuit court of Cole County within specified deadlines to contest ballot summaries or fiscal notes.
Directly affected
Secretary of State
The secretary of state must prepare summary statements, submit revisions within strict timeframes, and act as a named defendant in ballot title lawsuits.
Key Facts
- The official summary statement approved by the general assembly shall contain no more than one hundred words, excluding articles.
- If the general assembly adopts a joint resolution or bill without an official summary statement, the secretary of state shall prepare and transmit a summary statement to the attorney general within twenty days.
- Any citizen wishing to challenge an official ballot title or fiscal note may bring an action in the circuit court of Cole County within ten days after the official ballot title is certified.
- If a court orders a change to an official ballot title, previously gathered petition signatures shall not be invalidated solely because they were gathered prior to the alteration.
Show all 5 facts
- Statutory initiative petition signatures must be filed no later than six months prior to the general election and collected no earlier than the day after the previous general election.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the word limit for official ballot summary statements under the bill?
Official summary statements approved by the general assembly shall contain no more than one hundred words, excluding articles.
Where must a citizen file an action to challenge an official ballot title?
An action may be brought in the circuit court of Cole County within ten days after the official ballot title is certified by the secretary of state.
Are petition signatures invalidated if a court orders a change to the official ballot title?
No, signatures gathered before a court-ordered title change occurred shall not be invalidated based solely on being gathered prior to the alteration.
What else do you want to know?
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Votes, people, money & the original sourceWhere This Stands
Currently passed chamber. The next step in the legislative lifecycle is Law.
Procedural history
24 actions- May 7, 2026HousePlaced on Informal Calendar
- Apr 28, 2026SenateCommitteeReported Do Pass (S)
- Apr 8, 2026SenateCommitteeVoted Do Pass (S)
- Apr 8, 2026SenateExecutive Session Held (S)
- Mar 25, 2026SenatePublic Hearing Held (S)
- Mar 24, 2026SenatePublic Hearing Scheduled (S)
Show 18 earlier actions
- Mar 23, 2026SenateCommitteeSecond read and referred: Judiciary and Civil and Criminal Jurisprudence(S)
- Mar 11, 2026SenateReported to the Senate and First Read (S)
- Mar 11, 2026HouseFloorThird Read and Passed (H)
- Mar 11, 2026HouseTaken Up for Third Reading (H)
- Mar 9, 2026HousePerfected with Amendments (H)
- Mar 9, 2026HouseTitle of Bill - Agreed To
- Mar 9, 2026HouseTaken Up for Perfection (H)
- Mar 3, 2026HouseCommitteeReported Do Pass (H)
- Mar 3, 2026HouseCommitteeVoted Do Pass (H)
- Mar 3, 2026HouseExecutive Session Completed (H)
- Feb 19, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred: Rules - Administrative(H)
- Feb 17, 2026HouseCommitteeReported Do Pass (H)
- Feb 17, 2026HouseCommitteeVoted Do Pass (H)
- Feb 17, 2026HouseExecutive Session Completed (H)
- Feb 10, 2026HousePublic Hearing Completed (H)
- Feb 3, 2026HouseCommitteeReferred: Elections(H)
- Feb 2, 2026HouseFloorRead Second Time (H)
- Jan 29, 2026HouseIntroducedIntroduced and Read First Time (H)
Version history & redline
3 versions on fileComparing Amendment HA 1 (Adopted) → Perfected
removed addedOfficial text
removed: 6934H01.03H
HB 3146
House _____________________________________________________ Amendment NO.____
Offered By
_____________________________________ ___________________________________
Action Taken___________________________________________ Date __________________
Page 1 of 2
AMEND House Bill No. 3146, Pages 5-6, Section 116.190, Lines 6-9, by deleting all of said lines and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"accordance with the provisions of this chapter."; and
Further amend said bill, page, and section, Line 33, by inserting after the word "days" the following:
"if the action was originated in a year ending in an odd number, but within three days if the action was originated in a year ending in an even number"; and
Further amend said bill, page, and section, Line 41, by inserting after the word "days" the following:
"if the action was originated in a year ending in an odd number, but within two days if the action was originated in a year ending in an even number"; and
Further amend said bill and section, Page 7, Line 49, by inserting after the word "days" the following:
"if the action was originated in a year ending in an odd number, but within one day if the action was originated in a year ending in an even number"; and
Further amend said bill, page and section, Line 66, by deleting all of said line and inserting in lieu thereof the following:
"(g) a. In any appeal of any decision of a circuit court finding a summary statement to be sufficient and fair pursuant to this subdivision, if the appellate court concludes that the summary statement was in fact insufficient or unfair, the appellate court shall remand the summary statement to the circuit for further proceedings consistent with this subdivision. If the appellate court finds the summary statement insufficient or unfair, the court may offer suggested revisions for the summary statement to remedy the legal flaws, but the appellate court shall not have authority to itself modify or rewrite the summary statement. No other relief shall issue from an appellate court on a challenge to a circuit court's decision that a summary statement is insufficient and unfair besides remanding the judgment to the circuit court for further proceedings consistent with this section. b. Notwithstanding subparagraph a. of this paragraph to the contrary, if an action brought under this section has not been fully and finally adjudicated within one hundred fifty-two days of filing, or if there are less than ninety-eight days until the election at which the measure is to appear, the provisions of subparagraph a. of this paragraph requiring the appellate court to remand the summary statement to the circuit court shall not apply and an appeal to the supreme court shall be permitted. If, upon such appeal, the supreme court finds the summary statement insufficient or unfair, the court may offer suggested revisions for the summary statement to remedy the legal flaws, but the supreme court shall not have authority to itself modify or rewrite the summary statement. No other relief shall issue from the supreme court on a challenge to a circuit court's decision that a summary statement is sufficient and fair besides remanding the judgment to the circuit court for further proceedings consistent with this section. (h) Any action brought pursuant to this section challenging a statewide ballot"; and
Further amend said bill by amending the title, enacting clause, and intersectional references accordingly.added: SECOND REGULAR SESSION
[PERFECTED]
HOUSE BILL NO. 3146
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE SIMMONS.
6934H.01P JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
To repeal section 116.155 as enacted by senate bill no. 22, one hundred third general
assembly, first regular session, section 116.155 as enacted by house bill no. 676,
ninetieth general assembly, first regular session, section 116.160 as enacted by senate
bill no. 22, one hundred third general assembly, first regular session, section 116.160
as enacted by house bill no. 676, ninetieth general assembly, first regular session,
section 116.190 as enacted by senate bill no. 22, one hundred third general assembly,
first regular session, section 116.190 as enacted by senate bill no. 104, ninety-eighth
general assembly, first regular session, section 116.334 as enacted by senate bill no.
22, one hundred third general assembly, first regular session, and section 116.334 as
enacted by house bill no. 117, ninety-seventh general assembly, first regular session,
and to enact in lieu thereof four new sections relating to ballot summary statements.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Section 116.155 as enacted by senate bill no. 22, one hundred third general
2 assembly, first regular session, section 116.155 as enacted by house bill no. 676, ninetieth
3 general assembly, first regular session, section 116.160 as enacted by senate bill no. 22, one
4 hundred third general assembly, first regular session, section 116.160 as enacted by house bill
5 no. 676, ninetieth general assembly, first regular session, section 116.190 as enacted by senate
6 bill no. 22, one hundred third general assembly, first regular session, section 116.190 as
7 enacted by senate bill no. 104, ninety-eighth general assembly, first regular session, section
8 116.334 as enacted by senate bill no. 22, one hundred third general assembly, first regular
EXPLANATION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets 26,963 more added characters - read this version
Redline computed from the official version text (record lane).View this version →
Lobbying Activity
No state lobbying filings in our records match this bill. Federal lobbying reports (LDA) cover Congress, so they are not listed on state bills.
Full breakdown
Who this bill affects and the strongest case for and against it, written only from the bill’s own text.
Sponsors
Discoveries
Patterns POLISCOPE noticed across the record. These are observations to investigate, not conclusions.
policy shift95% confidence
Modified Ballot Summary Limits and Timelines
The legislation adjusts word count allowances and court-ordered revision schedules for contested statewide ballot measures.
Connected Entities
OrganizationGeneral Assembly“Body responsible for referring statewide ballot measures and enacting statutes.”Map →
OrganizationState Auditor“State official responsible for preparing fiscal notes and fiscal note summaries.”Map →
OrganizationSecretary of State“State official responsible for ballot titles, summaries, and sample petitions.”Map →
OrganizationAttorney General“State official responsible for approving the legal content and form of summary s”Map →
locationCircuit Court of Cole County“Venue where citizens may bring actions to challenge official ballot titles or fi”Map →
Sources
Open source document
house.mo.gov
Analysis Score
0–100- Significance65How much this matters to a regular citizen
- Controversy50Intensity of disagreement among stakeholders
- Entertainment5Compellingness for a non-policy-wonk reader
- Buzz40Current news / social attention level
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