State Feed: Missouri

Missouri: After significant changes, Missouri Senate endorses ‘right to farm’ amendment

Neal — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 09:53:16 -0400

In a 32-1 vote late Wednesday, the Missouri Senate endorsed a proposed constitutional amendment that would guarantee that Missouri’s farmers have the right to farm.

The Senate changed the original language in the legislation — House Joint Resolution 7 and 11 — that would have barred voters from passing initiatives that would infringe on farmers’ rights.

That portion of the legislation was removed after opposition from senators concerned about blocking the initiative petition process.

Missouri: Initiative petition changes move forward

Neal — Mon, 08 Apr 2013 10:22:06 -0400

Lawmakers this year have been supporting proposed changes to the way initiative petitions are proposed and circulated in the state.

“I found, when I got involved with this,” said Sen. Jay Wasson, R-Nixa and chairman of the Financial & Governmental Organizations and Elections Committee that helped write the bill, “there are people who would like to make (the petition process) a lot easier.

“There are people who would like to make it a lot harder.”

Missouri’s Constitution allows people “to propose and enact or reject laws and amendments to the constitution by the initiative.”

Missouri: Mo. Senate backs higher initiative fraud penalties

Neal — Thu, 04 Apr 2013 12:25:24 -0400

People who fraudulently sign petitions for ballot initiatives could face stiffer penalties under legislation given initial approval by the Missouri Senate.

A bill endorsed Wednesday by senators would make the crime of petition signature fraud a felony punishable by up to five years in prison and a fine of between $1,000 and $25,000.

Violators currently can face a misdemeanor charge punishable by up to a year in jail and a $1,000 fine.

The legislation also expands the crime to cover petition circulators who use trickery to obtain signatures or who knowingly submit forms with false signatures.

Missouri: House approves initiative petition legislation

Neal — Fri, 08 Mar 2013 13:15:41 -0500

The Missouri House has approved legislation aimed at increasing the transparency of initiative petitions that bypass the Legislature to put proposed laws or constitutional amendments on statewide ballots.

Sponsors of the petitions must gather signatures from registered voters for their proposal to qualify for the ballot.

Under the House legislation, the secretary of state’s office would offer a public comment period after a proposal is submitted. For those proposals that actually qualify for the ballot, the Joint Committee on Legislative Research would hold a public hearing.

Ag Interests, Legislators Lash Out at Initiatives

Neal — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 11:27:44 -0500

Those vexatious legislators in Missouri, irked by a recent ballot measure, are attempting to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot, which would limit the people’s power of petition. The proposed amendment –HJR 11 – overwhelmingly passed the House of Representatives last week. It would allow only the legislature to create laws regarding farming and agriculture in the Show-Me State.

Missouri: Initiative petitions shouldn't regulate agriculture

Neal — Mon, 04 Mar 2013 09:10:02 -0500

Still smarting over state voters’ approval of strict dog-breeding rules in 2010, some Missouri legislators want to bar future initiative petition drives from dealing with agricultural issues.

The House voted Thursday to place on the November 2014 ballot a constitutional amendment that would guarantee “the right of farmers and ranchers to engage in modern farming and ranching practices.” Under the proposal, only the General Assembly could write laws regulating “livestock production and ranching practices.”

The House passed the amendment on a vote of 110-41. It now moves to the Senate.

Two Views of Show-Me State’s Petition Process

Neal — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 17:12:55 -0500

Two statewide elected officials seem at odds over the petition process in Missouri. Jason Kander, the Show-Me State’s new Secretary of State, just implemented an online program that displays initiative proposals as soon as they are filed, allowing the public a five-day comment period before the secretary of state and the state auditor must complete their ballot summary and fiscal statement, respectively.

In the past, initiative proposals were not posted on the secretary of state’s website until after a ballot summary and fiscal note were written, so citizens had no comment period at this stage in the process.

Mixed results on Springfield’s charter amendments targeting citizen initiatives

Paul — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 14:38:52 -0400

Earlier this summer, the City Council in Springfield, Missouri, hurriedly placed two charter amendments on yesterday’s Aug. 7 primary election ballot hoping to make it far more difficult to petition a citizen initiative onto the local ballot. Voters defeated one of the measures, Charter Amendment 2, by a 51 to 49 percent vote, but passed the other, Charter Amendment 3, by 52 to 48 percent.

Mixed results on Springfield’s charter amendments targeting citizen initiatives

Paul — Wed, 08 Aug 2012 14:38:52 -0400

Missouri: Fighting the Petition Effort

AmandaKathryn — Thu, 02 Feb 2012 15:05:37 -0500

When Safer Missouri Citizens Coalition called for a petition ceremony for its local control ballot initiative on Monday, they were met with citizens demanding real local control.

The group, sponsored by billionaire financier Rex Sinquefield, had promised the support of more civic leaders and elected officials than it was able to deliver.

Missouri: Petition Efforts Focus on Payday Loans, Minimum Wage

AmandaKathryn — Mon, 30 Jan 2012 17:29:37 -0500

Two Missouri organizations are working together to push ballot measures seeking to cap payday loan interest rates and increase the state minimum wage.

Missourians for Responsible Lending and Give Missourians A Raise kicked off the two initiative petition campaigns at a joint event Saturday at the Boone County Commission Chambers. The group Grass Roots Organizing put on the event

Missouri: E-Verify Rivals Spend More in Springfield Ballot Measure

AmandaKathryn — Fri, 27 Jan 2012 17:22:29 -0500

Groups on either side of the proposed E-Verify ordinance have begun spending money to woo voters, with opponents so far outspending supporters more than 10-to-1.

In a Jan. 22 email sent to Springfield City Council and others, Grupo Latinoamericano President Yolanda Lorge said opponents of the ballot measure had spent about $20,000, mostly on printed material and a phone campaign.

Missouri: Coalition Aims to Put Minimum Wage Increase on Nov. Ballot

AmandaKathryn — Fri, 06 Jan 2012 17:31:42 -0500

Missouri’s minimum wage workers could be getting a $1 an hour raise next year if a ballot initiative sponsored by the Give Missourians A Raise coalition makes it to the November ballot. The coalition needs to collect about 200,000 registered voters’ signatures between now and May for the initiative to qualify.

Currently, Missouri’s minimum wage is $7.25 an hour.

“About 290,000 Missouri workers would see an immediate raise if the initiative passes in November,” Montague Simmons told the People’s World. Simmons is the St. Louis minimum wage initiative coordinator for Missouri Jobs with Justice, a key member of the coalition.

Missouri: Group to Push ‘Right to Work’ Ballot Initiative

AmandaKathryn — Thu, 05 Jan 2012 13:17:27 -0500

While many state legislators shy from the issue, an outside group plans to file an initiative petition this month to place a so-called “right to work” constitutional amendment on the 2012 ballot.

Greg Johns, vice president of Missourians for Right to Work,’ intends to file the petition with the secretary of state’s office some time this month, according to sources familiar with the process.

Missouri: Tax for police will be on Independence city ballot

Trevor Ford — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 12:55:21 -0500

Time and time again, Independence City Council members say they’ve heard their constituents express concern for public safety and for an increased presence of police officers. Come April 3, voters will say whether they are willing to pay extra – as property owners – for that sense of security.

Read the story from the Blue Springs Examiner

Missouri: Springfield voters weigh in on e-verify system

Trevor Ford — Mon, 05 Dec 2011 12:33:26 -0500

In February, Springfield voters will decide if businesses must use the federal E-Verify database to check whether potential employees can work legally in the United States. Now, we know what voters will read on the ballot for the controversial proposed ordinance. With a deadline of Tuesday to get it on the February ballot, council members voted and passed one version of the ballot language for the E-Verify issue. They had three possible versions of ballot language to consider. The council decided, at the advice of legal counsel, that the first version was not a good choice because of a legal issue with the language involving who would collect fines.

Read the story from KY 3

Missouri: Marijuana petition being circulated

Trevor Ford — Wed, 30 Nov 2011 14:35:45 -0500

A petition now circulating in Missouri would place a constitutional amendment on the November 2012 ballot to legalize marijuana for those 21 or older. The “Show-Me Cannabis Initiative” calls for a sweeping repeal of criminal prohibitions against marijuana in Missouri.

Read the story from West End Word

Missouri: Payday loan battle at the ballot box

Trevor Ford — Mon, 28 Nov 2011 11:47:33 -0500

A battle looms over how much lenders can charge for payday loans in Missouri — and it promises to be an expensive one. A coalition of religious groups and civic organizations have begun collecting signatures to get a measure on the state’s 2012 ballot that would limit the cost of short-term loans. Voters would then have the option of capping annual interest rates on those loans — which would include payday and car title loans — at 36 percent.

Read the story from the St. Louis Post Dispatch

Missouri: Local control measure will have backing of police

Trevor Ford — Mon, 14 Nov 2011 14:41:15 -0500

The St. Louis Police Officers’ Association now is supporting a ballot initiative to return control of the police department to the city from the state. The group announced today that it reached a compromise with Mayor Francis Slay and representatives of A Safer Missouri, which is funded by retired investor Rex Sinquefield, to withdraw amendments filed in March that would have placed the question of local control of the St. Louis and Kansas City police departments before voters next year.

Read the story from the St. Louis Post-Dispatch

Missouri: Minimum wage increase focus of ballot initiatives

Trevor Ford — Wed, 09 Nov 2011 15:50:34 -0500

Missouri voters could be asked next year to raise the state’s minimum wage to $8.25. The secretary of state’s office on Tuesday approved the summaries on two initiative petitions, meaning proponents can begin collecting signatures to get the measures on the 2012 ballot. Missouri’s minimum wage currently matches the federal requirement of $7.25 an hour.

Read the story from Bloomberg Businessweek