Missouri Amendment 6 fails, sheriffs’ retirement fund depleting

By Jenna Wilson

Missouri voters rejected an amendment that would allow for court fees to fund sheriff and prosecutor retirement benefits, leaving questions about the future of the sheriffs’ retirement fund.

Amendment 6 was voted down with 61% of ballots opposed to the measure versus 39% in favor according to final tallies from the Missouri secretary of state’s office.

The measure was put in front of voters after a previous charge meant to fund sheriffs’ pensions was deemed unconstitutional in 2021 by the Missouri Supreme Court. The approval of Amendment 6 would have allowed the legislature to reinstate those fees.

“The only change that would’ve resulted from the passing of this amendment is it would have allowed sheriffs’ to be added as an administration of justice to the Constitution,” said Buchanan County Sheriff Bill Puett. “There were no levies, people weren’t going to see a tax increase, it was proposed to vacate the Supreme Court’s original ruling and those fees that have been collected since 1983 would have been reinstated to the sheriff’s retirement as well.”

The amendment aimed to change the Missouri Constitution and allow the legislature to fund benefits for the state’s 114 elected county sheriffs by collecting a $3 fee per court case where a guilty verdict or plea is reached.

Since the ruling, the sheriff pension system has been running on reserves. The fund was 100% full as recently as 2021 but has dropped steadily since.

Projections show the Sheriff’s Retirement Fund could be exhausted in nine years, something that could deter people from deciding to go into the profession altogether.

“There’s some meetings coming up to try and figure out how to fix this because if you don’t have a retirement for a sheriff then you’re not going to be able to find people that are willing to seek office and serve the citizens,” Puett said. “People come into this profession because they enjoy serving but at some point, when they retire, they have to be able to pay their bills and support their families.”

Both opponents and supporters of this amendment agree the sheriffs’ retirement system needs funding but were unable to an agreement on the resolution.

According to Puett, state officials are expected to explore and discuss options to make sure the sheriffs’ retirement fund doesn’t go bankrupt in the years ahead.