HCS HJR 63 -- INITIATIVE PETITIONS

SPONSOR:  Jones, 89 (Parson)

COMMITTEE ACTION:  Voted "do pass" by the Special Committee on
General Laws by a vote of 8 to 5.

Upon voter approval, this proposed constitutional amendment
changes the requirements for submitting an initiative petition
that proposes an amendment to the Missouri Constitution.
Currently, a petition must be signed by 8% of the legal voters in
each of two-thirds of the state's Congressional districts before
it can be placed on the ballot.  The resolution requires 15% of
the legal voters in each of the Congressional districts to sign
the petition.  The number of signatures required for a petition
proposing a law is also increased from 5% to 10% of those voters.

FISCAL NOTE:  Estimated Effect on General Revenue Fund of an
income of $0 or a cost of More than $7,000,000 in FY 2011, an
income of $0 in FY 2012, and an income of $0 or a cost of
$208,680 in FY 2013.  No impact on Other State Funds in FY 2011,
FY 2012, and FY 2013.

PROPONENTS:  Supporters say that the bill will make it more
difficult for special interest groups to amend the state
constitution.  Missouri has a simple majority requirement for
passing amendments which is very easy to accomplish compared to
most other states.

Testifying for the bill were Representative Parson; Missouri Farm
Bureau; Missouri Federation of Animal Owners; and Missouri
Cattlemens Association.

OPPONENTS:  Those who oppose the bill say that special interest
groups are financially able to meet enhanced signature
requirements and the bill will only exclude grassroots efforts
that are not as well funded.  Changing the requirement for
amending the Missouri Constitution to a supermajority or to
require collection of initiative petition signatures in all
Congressional districts would be a better solution.

Testifying against the bill were Ron Calzone; and Concerned Women
of America of Missouri.

Missouri House of Representatives
95th General Assembly, 2nd Regular Session
Last Updated September 14, 2010 at 3:14 pm