Initiative petition changes clear hurdle

by Madeline Shannon

Missouri News Network

Efforts to push forward changes to the state’s initiative petition process succeeded Tuesday, with a Missouri House committee granting initial approval to an amended resolution that would make it more difficult to amend the state constitution.

The key change in the resolution would require a majority of votes statewide and in the majority of Missouri’s congressional districts to approve a constitutional amendment.

The version of the resolution approved by the committee contains additional provisions restricting foreign governments and political parties from trying to sway the results of initiative petition efforts, something that’s already federal law. Another provision would bar people who are not U.S. citizens and residents of Missouri from voting in elections. Both provisions are already federal law.

Opponents of the amendments debated Tuesday, calling the added provisions “ballot candy” because they are attractive proposals to many voters who may fail to read the underlying changes being proposed.

“So much was done to remove this, and to come over here and to slap it back in, I think it’s outrageous,” said Rep. David Tyson Smith, D-Columbia. “I don’t think we need to be filling these (Senate Joint Resolutions) with ballot candy. It’s a problem in this building and enough is enough.”

If the resolution passes through the legislature, voters would be asked to approve the changes to the initiative process.