April 25, 2025

Final Weeks of Session

With less than a month remaining in session, my fellow legislators and I are working hard to thoughtfully consider bills that will truly make our great state a better place to live, work and raise a family for all Missourians.

Recently, the Legislature passed a bill to ensure ballot measures presented to voters are fair and clearly written to convey what changes it would make. Senate Bill 22 would require challenges to the summary statements prepared by the General Assembly or for initiative petitions for ballot measures be brought in the Cole County circuit court no later than 22 weeks prior to the general election. If the court finds the statement is insufficient or unfair, the Missouri Secretary of State may submit up to three revised summary statements. If, after the submission of a third revised summary statement, the court still finds it to be insufficient or unfair, the court may write their own sufficient and fair summary statement. Additionally, SB 22 increases the total word limitation on summary statements proposed by the General Assembly from 50 to 100 words. I believe this will make it easier for voters to better understand the ballot measure.

The bill was sent to the governor’s desk last week for his consideration, and he signed the bill on April 24. I am thrilled he signed this important legislation into law to further secure our elections and provide clarity to voters when they consider ballot measures. 

Additionally, my Senate Bill 85 is eligible for discussion on the Senate floor. This bill would limit the use of computer programs, including artificial intelligence (AI), to make a final determination in the assessment of any real or personal property if that value has increased more than 4% from the most recent assessment. In recent years, Missourians have seen their property taxes rise, and we should not allow AI to make the final determination on how much an individual will pay in personal property tax, especially given the immense financial burden it can place on everyday Missourians.

Finally, I am working with other legislators to eliminate foreign ownership of agricultural land and limit foreign land purchases designated for research. Agriculture is our state’s number one industry. It is imperative we support farmers and ranchers, as well as protect their property rights. We are unable to do that if our farmland is owned by foreign corporations. Missouri has some of the most beautiful natural resources in the country, and we should not give ownership of that land over to foreign corporations or individuals who may not have our state’s best interests in mind. There are several bills filed this session regarding this topic and the issue has been discussed in the General Assembly for several years now. I am hopeful this is the year we can finally pass legislation to protect precious farmland.  

Please visit Sen. Nicola’s official Missouri Senate website at senate.mo.gov/Nicola for more legislative and constituent resources.

Senator Joe Nicola proudly serves the citizens of Jackson County in the Missouri Senate.