On April 29, 2025, the Missouri Supreme Court ruled 4-3 to uphold Proposition A, the voter-approved initiative that increases the state’s minimum wage and requires employers to provide earned paid sick leave. The law will take effect as planned on Thursday, May 1.

What is Proposition A?

Proposition A raises minimum wage and introduces mandatory earned paid sick leave for most workers. Some of the key provisions of Proposition A include:

• Raising the minimum wage to $13.75 per hour in 2025 and $15 by 2026 and providing for annual inflation-based increases thereafter.
• Requiring employers to provide paid sick leave, with workers earning one hour of leave for every 30 hours worked.

The Legal Challenge

Business associations and other opponents of the measure challenged the law in Case No. SC100876, Raymond McCarty, et al. v. Missouri Secretary of State, et al. Plaintiffs argued that the summary statement and fiscal note summary were so misleading that they cast doubt on the fairness of the election and validity of its results. Further, Plaintiffs argued that Proposition A was invalid because it violated the “single subject” and “clear title” requirements of Art. III, Section 50 of the Missouri Constitution.

Majority Opinion

The Missouri Supreme Court’s majority held the results of the election adopting Proposition A are valid and dismissed, without prejudice, the claim contending Proposition A violated the single subject and clear title requirements for lack of jurisdiction.

Key points from the majority opinion:

• Ballot Summary: The Court determined that the summary language was not materially inaccurate or seriously misleading to demonstrate an irregularity. Instead, the Court stated that Plaintiffs made conclusory allegations that the summary statement language misled voters but did not offer evidence to support those conclusions. Thus, a new election was not warranted.
• Single-Subject Rule: The justices declined to rule on whether Proposition A violated the single subject rule—the Court dismissed the claim without prejudice for lack of jurisdiction, stating that the claim had not been properly raised in a lower court before coming to the Supreme Court.

Separate Opinion

Justice Ransom issued a separate opinion from the majority, stating that he disagreed that the Supreme Court possesses original jurisdiction over election contests. However, Justice Ransom agreed with the majority’s decision if, for argument’s sake, the Court had jurisdiction to hear the challenges.

What Happens Next?

With the ruling in place:

• Proposition A will take effect on May 1, 2025.
• Employers must comply with new minimum wage rates and paid sick leave requirements, including taking immediate steps to implement paid sick leave by May 1.
• Lawmakers or business groups could still seek legislative revisions or bring new legal challenges.