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The Missouri House has passed a proposed constitutional amendment changing one of the rules for citizens to get questions placed on statewide ballots. Organizers of initiative petition campaigns now must get signatures from voters in six of Missouri’s congressional districts. The proposal would require signatures from voters in all districts. Missouri now has nine U.S. House districts, but is losing one for the 2012 elections.
Coming in right at the finish line, Clean Air Springfield got the required number of signatures on its ballot initiative. The signatures were due by 5pm Wednesday. The proposal would prohibit smoking at all indoor places with workers present.
It’s a new group, with a new proposal, but the goal is the same: making businesses in Springfield smoke-free. Clean Air Springfield is trying to get a ban on the April ballot, by submitting an initiative petition. This would be more of a sweeping ban than the ordinance council considered earlier this year.
The Joplin City Council has snuffed out a proposal to place a workplace smoking ban on an election ballot. Representatives from Smoke-Free Joplin said they might launch an initiative petition drive in response to the council’s action. The group wants to ban of smoking in all workplaces, including restaurants, bars and private clubs.
The push to get the wet-dry issue on Boone County’s ballot was on in Harrison. Petitioners worked throughout the weekend to gather additional signatures. “I think people should be able to vote. That’s what we are all about is voting, right,” said one person signing a petition. The Buhr family quickly signed, saying Harrison’s economy would flourish if tax dollars weren’t being spent elsewhere.