Testimony Needed: Jan. 23
Please consider taking action on this alert from MO Voter Protection Coalition (1/19/24):
IP Bills up for Hearing in #MOLEG Tuesday!
Bills designed to gut Missouri's long-standing initiative process and end majority rule are up for public hearing in #MOLEG on Tuesday, Jan. 23 at 10:30am. Join us at the Capitol to testify or submit testimony online to urge lawmakers to protect Direct Democracy in Missouri! Let us know if you can provide testimony!
WHAT: House Elections Public Hearing on HB 1749, HJR 72 & HJR 102
WHEN: Tues. Jan. 23, 2024, 10:30am
WHERE: Missouri House Elections Committee, Missouri State Capitol, House Hearing Room 6
* be sure to click the confirmation email you receive to ensure your statement is submitted.
Can You Attend or Submit Testimony on these bills?
PLEASE REPORT BACK TO MOVPC!
About the Bills:
HJR 72 (Lewis)
This is a proposed constitutional amendment to end majority rule in Missouri by imposing a concurrent majority requirement for constitutional initiative petitions.
If passed by voters, this would end majority rule by requiring initiative petitions to pass by not only majority of all votes cast statewide, but also must pass by a majority of all votes cast in a majority of Missouri's eight congressional districts.
This measure also regulates topics and sponsors for IPs, prohibiting IPs from being used for food or property tax increases; and prohibits any foreign sponsorship or funding of IPs; it also prohibits campaign contributions to candidates or political parties based on their position for or against an IP.
If passed by the legislature, voters would need to pass this measure (by a simple majority); the Summary statement to read: "Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to: Forbid foreign countries from sponsoring or funding initiatives; Prohibit taxes on food or property by initiative; and Pass initiatives by a majority of voters in a majority of congressional districts?"
HJR 102 (Lewis)
This is a proposed constitutional amendment to end majority rule in Missouri by imposing a concurrent majority requirement for constitutional initiative petitions.
It passed by voters, this would require constitutional initiative petitions to pass by not only a majority or all votes cast statewide but also pass in a majority of Missouri's 163 state representative districts.
This measure also prohibits initiative petitions on food or property tax increases; and prohibits any foreign sponsorship or funding of initiative petitions.
If passed by the legislature, voters would need to pass this measure (by a simple majority).
HB 1749 (Haffner)
This is a statutory measure setting various regulations for IPs
It sets IP pagination, font and size requirements, requires IP petitions and signature pages to be made available electronically
Provides that no IPs can declare any federal law a violation of the US constitution or amend any federal law or the United States Constitution - this is already the case.
Imposes a 30-day residency requirement for petition gatherers in Missouri - this is likely unconstitutional
Petition gatherers cannot be paid based on the number of signatures collected
Currently, any Missouri citizen can challenge the ballot title or fiscal note of a ballot initiative. This bill would limit those changes only to Missouri registered voters. It also provides that no court can issue relief on such a challenge less than 8 weeks before election day;
Similarly this bill provides that only a voter (as opposed to any Missouri citizen) can challenge the Secretary of State's determination that number of signatures submitted to get an IP on the ballot is insufficient. It also provides that if a court substantially changes the language of an IP summary statement or ballot title that any signatures collected before that time will be invalidated.
