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SECOND REGULAR SESSION
HOUSE BILL NO. 2356
103RD GENERAL ASSEMBL Y
INTRODUCED BY REPRESENT A TIVE BYRNES.
4276H.01I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
AN ACT
T o amend chapter 67, RSMo, by adding thereto one new section relating to local tax ballot
questions.
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the state of Missouri, as follows:
Section A. Chapter 67, RSMo, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be
2 known as section 67.498, to read as follows:
67.498. 1. No political subdivision of this state shall cause to be printed,
2 advertised, or otherwise pr esented to voters a ballot question for the issuance of a bond,
3 levy incr ease, or other tax-supported indebtedness using the words "no-tax-increase
4 bond issue" or substantially similar words implying that the question imposes no
5 financial obligation on taxpayers.
6 2. A ballot question pro posing a bond, levy incr ease, or other tax-supported
7 indebtedness shall include, in plain language:
8 (1) Whether the question will incr ease, decr ease, or maintain the curren t debt
9 service levy;
10 (2) The estimated dollar impact on the average res idential r eal prop erty in the
11 political subdivision, as such impact is calculated by the county assessor and verified by
12 the state auditor; and
13 (3) A disclosur e that bond issuance, even without an increa se in the curr ent levy ,
14 constitutes a financial obligation of such political subdivision to be repa id by taxpayers.
15 3. Prior to certification of ballot language for a ballot question submitted to the
16 voters at an election under this section:
EXPLANA TION — Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is
intended to be omitted from the law . Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language.
17 (1) The political subdivision shall submit prop osed ballot language to the state
18 auditor for revie w of accuracy , completeness, and compliance with this section;
19 (2) The state auditor shall complete such review within thirty days and provi de
20 an advisory report;
21 (3) If the state auditor determines the ballot language is misleading or
22 noncompliant with this section, the political subdivision shall revi se and re submit the
23 ballot language befor e certification; and
24 (4) The attorney general may bring an action in a court of competent
25 jurisdiction to enjoin the use of ballot language that fails to comply with this section.
26 4. Ballot language found by a court of competent jurisdiction to be noncompliant
27 with this section shall r esult in the pr ohibition of the ballot question fr om appearing on
28 the ballot. The political subdivision shall be pr ohibited fr om placing such question on
29 the ballot again until the following general election cycle.
30 5. The requ irem ents described in this section shall be in addition to all other
31 statutory re quir ements r elating to ballot questions submitted to voters by a political
32 subdivision.
✔
HB 2356 2