Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Ballot Language topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
House advances ballot‑language bill aimed at clearer tax measures and closing 'Hancock' loophole
Summary
House Committee Substitute for HB 17‑90 was adopted and perfected on the floor; the bill would require clearer ballot language (dollar equivalents, alphabetic labels) and require disclosure when a new measure nullifies a voter‑approved sunset, a change sponsors say closes a Hancock amendment loophole.
The Missouri House on Feb. 18 perfected House Committee Substitute for House Bill 17‑90, a measure the sponsor described as a package to make property‑tax ballot questions clearer and to close a perceived loophole in the Hancock amendment that can let taxing entities avoid a rollback after reassessment.
The gentleman from Saint Louis County, who carried the measure, outlined four principal elements: require that a levy expressed as cents (for example, 31¢) also show the dollar amount per $100,000 of assessed value; require propositions to be alphabetically labeled on ballots; require disclosure when a new ballot measure would nullify a previously voter‑approved sunset; and close a Hancock‑related loophole the sponsor illustrated with a local school district example where reassessments produced unexpectedly higher taxes.
The sponsor said the bill is intended as "truth in advertising" for voters and argued it would not prevent local entities from seeking funds but would make the financial effect clearer for voters. Multiple members asked technical and bookkeeping questions about rollbacks, CPI adjustments and the interaction with reassessment years; the sponsor and supporting members explained the bill requires returning to the revenue level after voter approval plus the voter‑approved amount.
Members expressed bipartisan support in debate. The House adopted the title and the committee substitute on the floor and perfected the measure for printing.
What's next: HB 17‑90 is perfected and printed as a committee substitute; it will continue through the legislative calendar.
