COMMITTEE ON LEGISLATIVE RESEARCH

OVERSIGHT DIVISION

FISCAL NOTE

L.R. No.:         3651-01

Bill No.:          SJR 29

Subject:           Constitutional Amendments; Political Subdivisions; Public Officers.

Type:              Original

Date:               January 22, 2008

Bill Summary:            This proposal requires the official dating standard in the state to be A.D., or Anno Domini, and B.C., or Before Christ.

FISCAL SUMMARY

Numbers within parentheses: ( ) indicate costs or losses.

This fiscal note contains 6 pages.

☐ Estimated Total Net Effect on All funds expected to exceed $100,000 savings or (cost).

☐ Estimated Net Effect on General Revenue Fund expected to exceed $100,000 (cost).

FISCAL ANALYSIS

ASSUMPTION

Officials at the Office of the Secretary of State assume it is unclear whether this legislation requires that all published dates must include the descriptors A.D. and B.C., or whether the current common practice of no designation could continue. If libraries can continue to use just the year with no qualifying designation, then there will be no impact resulting from this legislation. If libraries are required to add A.D. to published dates, the cost could be in the hundreds of thousands in order to replace handheld date due stamps, revise software stamps and published dated print material.

Officials at the Office of the Secretary of State (SOS) assume many joint resolutions are considered by the General Assembly that would require the SOS to pay for publishing in local newspapers the full text of each statewide ballot measure as directed by Article XII, Section 2(b) of the Missouri Constitution and Section 116.230-116.290, RSMo. The SOS is provided with core funding to handle a certain amount of normal activity resulting from each year’s legislative session. Funding for this item is adjusted each year depending upon the election cycle with $1.6 million historically appropriated in even numbered fiscal years and $100,000 appropriated in odd numbered fiscal years to meet these requirements. The appropriation has historically been an estimated appropriation because the final cost is dependent upon the number of ballot measures approved by the General Assembly and the initiative petitions certified for the ballot. In FY 2007 at the August and November elections there were 6 statewide Constitutional Amendments or ballot propositions that cost $1.2 million to publish (an average of $193,000 per issue). Therefore, the SOS assumes, for the purposes of this fiscal note, that it should have the full appropriation authority it needs to meet the publishing requirements. However, because these requirements are mandatory, we reserve the right to request funding to meet the cost of our publishing requirements if the Governor and the General Assembly change the amount or eliminate the estimated nature of our appropriation.

Oversight assumes the SOS could absorb the costs of advertising the statewide ballot measure related to this proposal within their current appropriation level. If multiple bills pass or if multiple ballot initiatives are validated which require similar advertising at substantial costs, the SOS could request funding through the appropriation process.

Oversight assumes that this is a constitutional amendment and would not impact state funds unless it is passed. Additionally, Oversight assumes that if passed there would be no impact to state funds as agencies could continue to just use the year with no qualifying designation.

ASSUMPTION (continued)

Officials at the State Tax Commission, Department of Mental Health, Office of the Lt. Governor, Department of Higher Education, Office of the State Treasurer, Office of the State Auditor, Department of Economic Development, Department of Public Safety, Fire Safety, Alcohol and Tobacco Control, Water Patrol, Missouri Highway Patrol, Department of Labor and Industrial Relations, Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, Department of Health and Senior Services, Missouri Gaming Commission, Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration, Department of Conservation, Office of the State Public Defenders, Department of Agriculture, Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan, Department of Social Services, Office of the State Courts Administrator, Joint Committee on Public Employee Retirement, Missouri Veterans Commission, Department of Natural Resources, MO House of Representatives, Office of the Attorney General, Missouri Department of Transportation, Office of the Governor, Missouri Senate, Office of Administration, Department of Revenue, Department of Corrections, Lincoln University, East Central College, Missouri State University, Linn State Technical College, Metropolitan Community College, St. Louis County, University of Missouri, Cass County, City of West Plains and the City of Kansas City assume that there is no fiscal impact from this proposal to their respective institution.

FISCAL IMPACT - Small Business

No direct fiscal impact to small businesses would be expected as a result of this proposal.

FISCAL DESCRIPTION

The proposed legislation appears to have no fiscal impact.

This legislation is not federally mandated, would not duplicate any other program and would not require additional capital improvements or rental space.

SOURCES OF INFORMATION

Office of the Secretary of State

Lincoln University

St. Louis County

State Tax Commission

Department of Mental Health

Office of the Lt. Governor

Department of Higher Education

East Central College

Office of the State Treasurer

Office of the State Auditor

Department of Economic Development

Department of Public Safety

            Water Patrol

            Fire Safety

            Alcohol and Tobacco Control

Missouri Highway Patrol

Department of Labor and Industrial Relations

Department of Elementary and Secondary Education

Department of Health And Senior Services

Missouri Gaming Commission

Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration

Cass County

Missouri State University

Department of Conservation

Office of the State Public Defenders

City of West Plains

Department of Agriculture

Missouri Consolidated Health Care Plan

Linn State Technical College

Department of Social Services

SOURCES OF INFORMATION (continued)

City of Kansas City

Office of the State Courts Administrator

Metropolitan Community College

Joint Committee on Public Employee Retirement

Missouri Veterans Commission

Department of Natural Resources

MO House of Representatives

Office of the Attorney General

Missouri Department of Transportation

Office of the Governor

Missouri Senate

Office of Administration

Department of Revenue

Department of Corrections

University of Missouri

                                                                                                Mickey Wilson, CPA

                                                                                                Director

                                                                                                January 22, 2008