HB 684 Missouri House · 2025 Regular Session

Modifies provisions relating to ballot summary language

HB 684 modifies how ballot summaries are prepared for constitutional amendments or bills without fiscal notes that go to voters. It requires the Secretary of State to create a neutral, concise summary (max 150 words) after consulting the bill's sponsor and legislative leaders, with the Attorney General approving its legal content within 10 days. Once approved, the summary must appear on the ballot exactly as written, and courts cannot alter it - though the legislature can correct errors if in session. This directly affects voters who rely on these summaries to understand ballot measures and election officials responsible for ballot language.
Bill status in committee 1 of 4 stages cleared
Introduction
Dec 2024
Committee Review
Floor Vote
Governor
Introduced Dec 23, 2024 Last action Apr 10, 2025
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What changed between versions

Introduced House Committee Substitute · 4 edits
MODERATE
This bill was amended to combine two related bills (HB 684 and HB 414) and expand the scope of changes from one to two repealed sections of Missouri law. The key substantive change is reducing the word limit for official ballot summaries from 150 words to 50 words and adding new requirements for public comment periods and petition signature timing for constitutional amendments.
Scope change
The bill now addresses both HB 684 and HB 414, expanding from repealing one section to repealing two sections of Missouri law (116.160 and 116.334).
REQUIREMENT

Reduced the word limit for official ballot summaries from 150 words to 50 words, excluding articles.

Added requirements for signature timing, including a 6-month deadline before the election and a minimum collection period starting the day after the previous general election.

Added requirement that signatures obtained before the official ballot title is certified will not be counted.

TIMELINE

Added a 15-day public comment period after petition approval and 23-day deadline for preparing summary statements.

Floor votes

How they voted

No floor votes recorded yet.
Full legislative history

Actions timeline

Total actions
12
Key actions
4
Committee
6
Apr 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 7 NOES: 3 PRESENT: 0
lower
Apr 10, 2025
Lower · Passed
Voted Do Pass (H)
lower
Feb 26, 2025
Committee
Referred: Rules - Administrative(H)
lower
Feb 19, 2025
Lower · Passed
HCS Reported Do Pass (H) - AYES: 7 NOES: 2 PRESENT: 1
lower
Feb 18, 2025
Lower · Passed
HCS Voted Do Pass (H)
lower
Jan 30, 2025
Committee
Referred: Elections(H)
lower
Dec 23, 2024
Introduced
Prefiled (H)
lower
1 primary · 0 co-sponsors

Sponsors

Role
Legislator
Party
State
District
P
Photo of John Simmons
John Simmons
RRepublican
MO
109