A new push to mandate paid sick leave is underway in Missouri, as proponents of Proposition A have filed paperwork to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot during the 2026 election cycle.
The proposed ballot measure, known as Initiative Petition 2026-047, has similar language to Proposition A, which voters approved in 2024. That measure required businesses to provide paid sick leave and instituted a plan to raise Missouri’s minimum wage to $15 an hour by 2026.
However, during the 2025 legislative session, lawmakers passed HB 567 to remove the onerous paid sick leave mandate and eliminate annual increases to the minimum wage tied to the Consumer Price Index (CPI).
If approved, the new ballot measure would reinstate those provisions. Specifically, it would:
The Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry is opposed to this proposal and submitted a letter to Secretary of State Denny Hoskins highlighting some of the economic and policy implications.
“If enacted, the requirements created by Initiative Petition 2026-047 would have dire effects on Missouri’s economy, annual revenue, Unemployment Insurance Trust Fund, GDP, and much more,” wrote Kara Corches, Missouri Chamber president and CEO.
When responding to the Missouri Chamber’s annual CEO Survey, 37% of business leaders said the original Proposition A would discourage them from hiring new employees.
Therefore, according to our analysis, this new proposal could lead to an estimated $6 billion GDP loss in Missouri’s manufacturing sector and a nearly $20 billion loss in Missouri’s overall GDP.
“The ability for businesses to decide the policies that best fit their unique needs is the bedrock on which our free enterprise system is built,” Corches said. “This proposal is a clear break from our system of free enterprise.”
To read the full letter submitted to the Secretary of State, click here.
