There has been a great deal of confusion surrounding the constitutional amendments appearing on the August ballot, and I've received many questions from constituents wanting to know what these proposals actually do.
I've already written about Amendment 5 and recorded a video explaining the proposal to eliminate Missouri's state income tax and the potential long-term implications of that process. Please see my website for further information; senatorjoenicola.com.
However, Amendment 2 and Amendment 4 also deserve your attention.
Although Amendment 2 affects only Jackson County, it requires a statewide vote because it changes the Missouri Constitution.
Amendment 4 would make significant changes to Missouri's initiative petition process, which is the process citizens use to propose constitutional amendments without approval from the legislature.
Regardless of where you stand on these proposals, I believe every Missourian deserves the opportunity to read what the amendments actually say—not just the ballot summary or campaign advertisements.
Below, you'll find:
- A plain-language explanation of each amendment.
- The official resolution adopted by the General Assembly.
- Links to additional resources so you can read the proposals for yourself.
My goal is to help provide accurate information so you can make an informed decision when you cast your vote.
Thank you for taking the time to stay informed and engaged in Missouri's future.
Amendment 2 ~ Electing the Jackson County Assessor
Missourians will see Amendment 2 on the statewide ballot on August 4th. While every voter in Missouri will cast a vote on this measure, the proposal only affects Charter Counties, specifically, Jackson County.
So why is the entire state voting on a local issue?
Because this proposal amends the Missouri Constitution. Any constitutional amendment must be approved by voters statewide, even when its practical impact is limited to a single county. The truth is, Jackson County is the only county that is currently exempted from having an elected assessor in the state constitution.
If approved, Amendment 2 would require Jackson County's Assessor to be an elected position rather than allowing the county charter to determine how the assessor is selected. This would put Jackson County in line with all other counties as Jackson County has been constitutionally exempted from having an elected assessor. It would also require the assessor to complete the training already required under Missouri law.
One point worth noting is that the resolution highlights assessor training as though it is creating a new requirement.
It is not.
Missouri law already requires assessor training. The amendment simply places that existing requirement into the Missouri Constitution.
The larger question for voters is whether the Missouri Constitution should be amended to address a governance issue that applies only to one county.
Some voters may believe Jackson County residents should directly elect their assessor. Others may question whether a local government issue belongs in the state constitution at all.
Regardless of where you stand, it's important to understand exactly what the amendment does—and what it does not do.
Bottom Line
- Amendment 2 affects Jackson County only.
- Every Missouri voter must vote on it because it is a constitutional amendment.
- It requires the Jackson County Assessor to be elected.
- It includes assessor training requirements that already exist in Missouri law.
Read the full resolution:
https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills251/hlrbillspdf/1465H.02T.pdf
https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills251/hlrbillspdf/1465H.02T.pdf
Learn more about all of the 2026 ballot measures:
https://senatorjoenicola.com/page/2026-elections
https://senatorjoenicola.com/page/2026-elections
Here is a marked-up version of Amendment 2:
Amendment 4 ~ Changes to Missouri's Initiative Petition Process
One of the most significant constitutional amendments on the 2026 ballot is Amendment 4, which would change how citizen-initiated constitutional amendments are approved in Missouri.
This proposal does not change the process for statutory initiative petitions or referendum petitions. It applies only to constitutional amendments proposed through Missouri's initiative petition process.
Missouri's Initiative Petition (IP) process allows citizens to place proposed laws or constitutional amendments directly before voters without approval from the General Assembly.
It was created to give citizens a way to act when they believe the legislature has not addressed an important issue.
In practice, however, qualifying a measure for the ballot is a lengthy and expensive process. Collecting the required number of signatures state wide requires a great deal of organization. Once signatures are collected they must be verified. If the initiative gets to the ballot it will cost millions of dollars to advertise for it and defend it from opposition. This makes it difficult for ordinary citizens to use. The last time this was used successfully by citizens was in 1980. As a result, initiative petitions are more commonly funded by large organizations and well-financed interest groups inside and outside of Missouri.
Currently, a proposed constitutional amendment placed on the ballot through the initiative petition process passes with a simple majority of votes statewide.
That means if more than 50% of Missouri voters vote "Yes," the Missouri Constitution is amended.
If approved, Amendment 4 would create a new, two-part approval requirement for citizen-initiated constitutional amendments.
Instead of requiring only a statewide majority, an amendment would have to receive:
- A majority vote statewide, and
- A majority vote in each of Missouri's eight congressional districts.
In other words, both statewide support and support across every congressional district would be required before the Missouri Constitution could be amended through the initiative petition process.
Amendment 4 also includes several other provisions designed to increase transparency and strengthen the initiative petition process.
If approved, it would:
- Prohibit foreign nationals and foreign adversaries from contributing money to support or oppose statewide ballot measures.
- Create criminal penalties for initiative petition signature fraud.
- Require public hearings before initiative petitions are placed on the ballot.
- Require the full text of initiative petitions to be made available to voters when ballots are provided.
Supporters argue these changes would make it more difficult to amend Missouri's Constitution without broad statewide agreement while increasing transparency and election integrity protections.
Others argue the new approval threshold would make it significantly more difficult for citizen-led constitutional amendments to succeed, even when they receive a statewide majority of the vote.
Bottom Line
Amendment 4 would make substantial changes to Missouri's constitutional initiative petition process.
A "Yes" vote would require future citizen-proposed constitutional amendments to receive:
- A statewide majority of voters, and
- A majority of voters in each of Missouri's eight congressional districts.
A "NO" vote would result in no change.
Read the full resolution:
https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills254/hlrbillspdf/3353H.03T.pdf
https://documents.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills254/hlrbillspdf/3353H.03T.pdf
Learn more about all of the 2026 ballot measures:
https://senatorjoenicola.com/page/2026-elections
https://senatorjoenicola.com/page/2026-elections
Here is a marked-up version of Amendment 4:
During interim, connecting with constituents is one of my highest priorities. This year, I'm getting started by hosting Coffee & Conversation events. We had a wonderfully successful event in Independence at Rae's Cafe to kick things off.
Coming up soon, I'll be in Grain Valley, Oak Grove and Buckner. Come join me at one of these locations for a cup of coffee, a legislative update and I'll be taking your questions, too.
Oak Grove
Ground Roots Coffee
507 S Broadway
Saturday, June 20th @ 10:00 am
Grain Valley
Grain Valley Historical Society
506 N Main St
Saturday, June 20th @ 2:00 pm
Buckner
The Hudson Room
323 S Hudson Street
Saturday, June 27th @ 2:00 pm
Please share the information with your friends and bring someone with you!
If you would like to host a gathering for a group of your neighbors or friends, please reach out to my office.
If you are unable to attend one of our Coffee & Conversations events, please feel free to contact me with your questions or concerns by clicking the link above. For future events, be sure to check our Event page to see what's coming up.
The 2026 legislative session is now finished. We made real progress in some areas, fell short in others, and on a few important votes I know people may have questions.
One bill I was proud to carry was SB 1011, which was combined with SB 977 and included the No Foreign Laws Act. This says Missouri courts should not apply foreign law when doing so would deny a person's fundamental rights under the Missouri Constitution or the United States Constitution.
Missouri should be governed by our Constitution, our laws, and the statutes passed by the United States Congress and the Missouri General Assembly. Foreign legal systems, including religious law used as a substitute for state or federal law should not override the rights of Missourians.
Another major win was language from SB 1086, which was included in SB 878. This provision allows pharmacists to dispense ivermectin and hydroxychloroquine without requiring a prescription from a licensed health care practitioner, once a warning label and pharmacy procedures are in place. Missourians should not have to deal with unnecessary red tape to access safe medicines.
We also had a win for small businesses with my SB 1154, which was combined into SB 907. This bill addresses ADA-compliant websites and abusive website accessibility lawsuits. Too often, these lawsuits are not about fixing access problems. They are about targeting small businesses and trying to extract a settlement.
The bill gives businesses a safe harbor when they receive notice and take substantial steps to orrect the problem within 90 days. The goal should be real accessibility and a fair process, not predatory shakedown tactics.
We also moved forward on public safety. My SB 1294 passed as an amendment inside another bill. Tis language dealt with criminal offenses and penalties, including sex-related crimes and sentencing clarity. Victims matter, and criminals need to be held acountable. We need clear law, consistent sentencing and stronger consequences for serious crimes.
I also want to address two bills where I voted no, even though many in my party supported them.
The first was SB 999, known as the Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Protection Act. In 2002, the federal government passed the Born-Alive Infants Protection Act, which made clear that a child born alive at any stage of development, including after an attempted abortion has the same legal protections as any other person.
I am pro-life. I believe life is valuable and must be protected. I also believe the original bill was not completely necessary because federal law already provides protections and Missouri already has laws prohibiting the murder of any person at any age. Even so, I supported the original bill because it sent a strong message that in Missouri we would hold medical professionals accountable in those situations, should they arise.
But the final version of the bill changed. Amendments added other subjects, including cyberstalking, protective orders, and technology-related abuse. The bill also included a non-severability clause, meaning if one part is struck down the whole bill would be at risk.
Some added language was too broad, and I believe it will likely be deemed unconstitutional by the courts. I did not want to vote for a bill with a good headline but bad language that would be struck down. On the final version, I believed a no vote was the correct vote.
The second bill was HJR 173, dealing with STATE income tax. I support phasing out the state personal income tax. However, this resolution would amend Article X of the Missouri Constitution. It directs the General Assembly to reduce and eventually eliminate the individual income tax but it also allows the sales and use tax base to be expanded to goods and services in order to replace the revenue.
That is a major change. My concern is simple: voters are being asked to give the Legislature broad authority to rewrite the tax system without seeing the full plan first. I do not believe we should remove constitutional protections and hope the details work out later. My constituents are more concerned about property tax reform than phasing out the state income tax right now.
My job is not to vote with the crowd. My job is to read the bill, understand what it really does and vote the way I believe best protects Missourians.
I am grateful for the wins we had this session. I am disappointed in the areas where we did not get enough done. But I remain hopeful and I will keep working for freedom and liberty, transparency, small businesses, public safety, and the constitutional protections Missourians deserve.
As always, reach out to our office with questions or concerns. We are here to serve you.
Join Us For Coffee & Conversations
Please join us at one of our community events! I want to hear your concerns and answer your questions. If you are unable to attend any of these, please be sure to subscribe and we'll let you know about future dates.
- Saturday, June 20th @ 10:00 am - Ground Roots Coffee, 507 S Broadway, Oak Grove
- Saturday, June 20th @ 2:00 pm - Historical Society, 506 N Main St., Grain Valley
- Saturday, June 27th @ 2:00 pm - The Hudson Room, 323 S Hudson St., Buckner
As we move into the final week of session, the Missouri Senate has been working through some of the most important decisions of the year. This week brought a major win for Missouri businesses as the Governor signed our abusive website litigation bill into law, real progress on our artificial intelligence bill, passing the state budget, and a difficult vote on a pro-life bill that was changed in a way I believe created serious constitutional concerns.
There is still more work to do, but I am proud of what this office has accomplished. We came to Jefferson City to protect liberty, promote accountability, and serve the people of Missouri with honesty and transparency.
Stopping Abusive Website Lawsuits
This week brought a major win for Missouri small businesses.
Governor Kehoe signed SB 907/1154/1272, creating the Act Against Abusive Website or Web Content Access Litigation. I filed SB 1154 because honest businesses should not be targeted by predatory lawsuits over alleged website or web content access violations.
This issue matters because many small businesses want to do the right thing, but they should be given a fair chance to correct a problem instead of being forced into quick settlements because going to court is too expensive.
The bill was combined with two other bills that were nearly identical and with broad support from both sides of the aisle in the House and the Senate, we were able to get it across the finish line.
Our Ai Bill Moves Forward
I'm also pleased to report that SB 1012, our artificial intelligence bill has passed the Senate floor and has been referred to a House committee.
We've worked hard on this bill over the past few months. There were a couple of minor changes made on the Senate floor, but we are pleased with the protections the bill would offer for Missouri.
Artificial intelligence is moving quickly, and our laws need to draw some clear lines. Ai is not a person, should not be treated like a person under the law and should not be used as a way for human beings to avoid responsibility.
My Bill Would Make It Clear That
1. Ai can not be treated as a legal person
2. Human beings remain accountable when Ai is used
3. Transparency and protections for users are required for chatbots
4. Transparency is required when Ai is used to create campaign materials
To learn more about the hazards of Ai and why we need these protections in place and to stay updated about this legislation, go to our Ai page here.
Ai is a powerful tool - but it should remain just that - a tool. Humans must remain accountable for decisions that affect people's lives, health, property, finances and rights.
I was invited to speak about the bill on War Room with Steve Bannon. Watch below.
A Better Budget, With More Work Ahead
This week, the General Assembly passed the FY 2027 state budget. The overall budget was reduced which is progress in the right direction.
I've been clear that Missouri still spends too much, and there is more spending that needs to be cut. Government should live within its means, just like Missouri families and small businesses are expected to do every day.
I voted yes on the budget bills because I believe this budget is a significant improvement over recent years. It does not do everything I would like to see, but it takes a step toward a more responsible and sustainable path.
A Difficult Vote on the Born-Alive Bill
This week also brought a difficult vote on the Born-Alive bill.
I am pro-life, and I believe life is valuable and must be protected. That conviction has not changed.
However, after the Democrat caucus successfully added several amendments to the bill, I believed the bill had been changed in a way that created serious constitutional concerns. That made the vote difficult.
When we pass laws, especially on issues as important as life, we have a responsibility to make sure those laws are written in a way that can stand. Protecting life and respecting the Constitution are not competing duties. Both matter.
I do not take votes like this lightly. My goal is to always defend life, protect liberty, and uphold the rule of law.
One Week Left to Serve Well
There is only one week left in this legislative session.
I am proud of the work this office has accomplished, and I am grateful for the opportunity to serve the people of Missouri's 11th Senate District. We remain committed to protecting liberty, promoting accountability and standing up for hardworking Missourians.
As always, you can see my votes by clicking "My Votes" on the menu at the top of the page. If you need help with a state issue, have a question, or want to share your thoughts, please reach out to our office. We are here to serve you.
Interim Events
The work doesn't stop after session is over. During the interim, I'll be hosting events and meeting with constituents in District 11. I want to hear your concerns and answer your questions. Please subscribe to The Digest, check the website or FaceBook to learn more. The first event will be on May 23rd at Rae's Cafe in Independence. Come join us!
Missouri families needed real property tax relief this legislative session. I was hopeful as session started, since the Senate Republican Caucus made real property tax reform its top priority. But with only two weeks left, so far we've fallen short of that goal.
As the session nears its end, the Missouri Senate passed only one property tax bill just this week, Senate Bill 1410. On paper, this bill addresses property tax policy - but in practice, it focused largely on administrative changes rather than lowering the actual tax burden on property owners.
In a nutshell: the process was adjusted, but the problem remains.
What's Really Happening
Across Missouri - and especially in places like Jackson County - families are dealing with increasing property assessments. Those assessments directly impact how much people pay in property taxes, and for many, the increases have been steep enough to force difficult financial decisions.
While legislation moved forward this week, it did not directly reduce those costs. Instead, the changes focused on areas like ballot language, classification rules, and technical adjustments to how tax limits are calculated under the Hancock Amendment.
Two adopted amendments further weakened taxpayer protections, which is why I ultimately voted against the final version of the bill.
At the same time, my Senate Bill 919 - which included broader, more meaningful reforms - was brought to the floor but there was no path forward.
What I Proposed
During debate on SB 1410, I offered several amendments aimed at delivering practical, real-world relief. Each one was designed to address the actual problem Missourians are facing - not just adjust the process around it.
Here's what those proposals would have done:
1. Cap Assessment Increases at 15%
Prevent sudden spikes in property valuations that lead to unaffordable tax hikes.
2. Increase Transparency in Valuations
Require clear disclosure of how property values are calculated, giving taxpayers a fair chance to understand and appeal assessments.
3. Lower Valuation Ratio Standards
Adjust standards to ensure properties are not assessed above 100% of market value - promoting fairness statewide.
4. Include Jackson County in Relief Measures
Extend relief options to Jackson County, which was previously left out. This amendment was tabled by a Republican senator before it was even fully read. The body didn't even know what was in the amendment.
5. Strengthen the Hancock Amendment
Close loopholes in the underlying bill and ensure the tax burden isn't unfairly shifted onto certain classes of property owners.
Each of these measures was voted down. Several were voted down because there were not enough Republicans on the chamber floor to prevail.
Why This Matters
This issue is about more than policy - it's about people.
Property rights are foundational to liberty. When rising taxes force families out of their homes, something has gone wrong. For many Missourians, especially seniors and working families, homeownership is not just about stability - it's about building a future and passing something on to the next generation.
Jackson County highlights the problem clearly. While 97 of Missouri's 114 counties received some form of relief option during last year's special session, Jackson County was excluded because the two Jackson County democrat senators filibustered. Jackson County got no relief during special session and that is, unfortunately, continuing to be the case.
Families in Jackson County and several others across the state in Senate Districts 6 and 16 and also the districts with Democrat senators, are still waiting for meaningful action.
What Comes Next
At this stage in the session, it is unlikely that comprehensive property tax reform will pass this year. That's the reality.
But this issue is not going away.
I remain committed to working with collegaues at the state level and with local officials to pursue solutions that actually reduce the burden on taxpayers and help families stay in their homes.
We should not accept a system where people are taxed out of their property. We can do better, and we need to.
If you're experiencing rising property taxes or have concerns about your assessment, I encourage you to reach out to our office. We are here to serve you, and your input matters as we continue this work.
