But Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan rejected as inadequate two other petitions: to raise the minimum wage and limit payday loans. She said they fell short of the required number of valid signatures of registered voters.

Sean Soendker Nicholson, a spokesman for proponents of the minimum wage and payday loan measures, said those groups would contest the secretary of state's decisions on their measures. 

He contended that "a significant number of signatures were improperly invalidated" by election board officials in St. Louis.

Interest rates and fees on payday loans would be capped at 36 percent annually under the short-term loan changes.