JEFFERSON CITY — Republicans in the Missouri House gave first-round approval Tuesday to their version of a plan to make it harder for citizens to change the state constitution.
While the Senate was tied up in an overnight filibuster on the same issue, the House moved ahead with their plans, which would place limits on who can circulate petitions for signatures and prohibit ballot questions that would nullify or amend federal law.
The measure, sponsored by Rep. Mike Haffner, R-Pleasant Hill, also would invalidate signatures collected on an initiative petition if a court ordered a substantial change to the official ballot title.
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“It’s about protecting the integrity of the Missouri Constitution,†Haffner said. “It keeps fraud out of the initiative process. Missourians should be in control of the Missouri Constitution.â€
“It’s needed. It’s necessary,†said Rep. Brian Seitz, R-Branson.
Initiative petitions offer Missourians a way to propose and enact laws or change the constitution without going through the legislative process. It has been used to legalize marijuana sales and expand Medicaid coverage.
Republicans say the process is flawed because out-of-state organizations can help fund the signature gathering process and the ensuing campaign if a question makes the ballot.
The measure, which needs a final vote before it moves to the Senate, also gives the secretary of state and the attorney general more power to review and potentially reject proposed petitions without interference from the courts.
Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft and Attorney General Andrew Bailey, both Republicans, used their roles in the process last year to slow down the rollout of a petition aimed at restoring abortion rights.
Rep. Michael O’Donnell, a south ºüÀêÊÓƵ County Republican, successfully attached an amendment he said would ensure the names of people who sign petitions wouldn’t be publicly released.
But Rep. Peter Merideth, D-ºüÀêÊÓƵ, questioned whether the change would bar members of the press from determining independently whether signatures are valid.
He decried the push by Republicans, which comes as abortion rights supporters are collecting signatures to place a question on the ballot that would restore the procedure in the state.
“Let’s actually do something that helps Missourians have their voices heard for a change,†Merideth said.
“They are doing everything they can to make it more difficult,†added Rep. Maggie Nurrenbern, D-Kansas City.
Opponents, including the Missouri Realtors, are already planning to fight whatever emerges from the Legislature.
Groups like the Missouri Farm Bureau support requiring signature gatherers be registered Missouri voters. The organization also backs provisions limiting the use of professional signature gathering organizations for initiative petition efforts, including prohibiting payment on a per-signature basis and requiring them to register with the state.
Currently, voters who file an initiative petition must acquire signatures totaling 8% of the vote cast for governor in six of the state’s eight congressional districts to propose a constitutional amendment and 5% in six districts to propose changes to the laws of the state.
“The vast majority of people don’t want this,†said Rep. Robert Sauls, D-Kansas City.
The legislation is Hous