US EditionMissouri House Advances Bill to Tighten Ballot Measure Rules
Missouri House approved a bill requiring majority votes in all eight congressional districts plus statewide for constitutional amendments, passing 96-55 amid partisan debate.
- The Missouri House approved a bill with a 96-55 vote that mandates citizen-initiated constitutional amendments must receive majority approval both across the state and within every one of Missouri’s eight congressional districts.
- Republican Rep. Ed Lewis of Moberly sponsored the bill to ensure constitutional changes reflect broad consensus across all districts, not just populous areas.
- Opponents, including Democrats and citizen activists, argue the bill effectively silences voters and will severely restrict the initiative petition process.
- Rep. Bill Lucas remarked that there has been considerable complaining about efforts to limit the people's ability to influence decisions, while labor leaders expressed strong frustration over proposed restrictions on the initiative process.
- The Missouri Senate is expected to consider the bill soon, which, if placed on the ballot, could face costly opposition amid ongoing tensions between voter power and legislative control.
21 Articles
21 Articles
Missouri House passes measure making it harder for voters to change state constitution
Currently, constitutional amendments created through Missouri's initiative petition process only need a statewide vote to be enacted. A Republican ballot measure would make winning much more difficult — and it's now headed to the Senate.
Missouri Independent
Missouri House advances bill to make it harder for voters to amend state constitution
Missouri House Speaker Pro Tem Chad Perkins, R-Bowling Green, stands at the House dais Monday afternoon (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).The Missouri House gave initial approval Monday to legislation that would increase the threshold to pass constitutional amendments proposed through initiative petition. The bill passed largely along partisan lines, with five Republicans voting in opposition. It needs to be approved by the House one more …
Missouri House Republicans give initial approval to initiative petition reform
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ) House Republicans signaled Monday that they're willing to set a higher bar for measures to make the statewide ballot in Missouri. The House voted 96-55 on a bill to reform the state's initiative petition process, by which citizens can get questions onto the ballot. A final vote is yet to take place. The vote followed more than an hour of debate during which Democrats argued the new bar for passage -- approval from a ma…
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