HB703--INITIATIVEANDREFERENDUMPETITIONS
SPONSOR: Haffner
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPass"bytheStandingCommitteeon
ElectionsandElectedOfficialsbyavoteof9to4.
Thisbillrequiresinitiativeandreferendumpetitionsignature
pagestobeprintedonaformasprescribedbytheSecretaryof
State.Font,fontsize,marginwidth,andpagenumberingare
requiredforsignaturepages,asspecifiedinthebill.Signature
pagesshallbemadeavailableinelectronicformat.
Thisbillspecifiesthatnomeasurecirculatingbypetitionshall
claimtonullifyoramendfederallaw.
Thisbillrequiresthatpetitioncirculatorsbecitizensofthe
UnitedStates,residentsofMissouriorphysicallypresentin
Missouriforatleast30consecutivedayspriortothecollection
ofsignatures,andprohibitsthemfrombeingcompensatedbasedon
thenumberofsignaturescollected.
Thisbillpreventsanyextensionofalegalchallengetotheballot
titleofaninitiativepetitionorreferendumtobefinally
adjudicatedfewerthaneightweeksbeforethedateoftheelection.
Thisbillrequiresinitiativeandreferendumpetitionsamplesheets
tobesubmittedtotheSecretaryofStatewithinsixmonthsprior
tothenextgeneralelection.
Ifacourtordersachangethatsubstantiallyaltersthecontentof
theofficialballottitleofaninitiativeorreferendumpetition,
allsignaturesgatheredbeforesuchchangeoccurredshallbe
invalidated.
ThisbillrepealstherequirementthattheJointCommitteeon
LegislativeResearchholdahearingtotakepubliccommentona
proposedmeasurewithin30daysoftheSecretaryofStateissuing
certificationthatthepetitioncontainsasufficientnumberof
validsignatures.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthisbillmakestechnicalchanges
totheIPprocessthatamounttogoodcustomerservicefromthe
SecretaryofState'soffice.Eachprovisionofthebillis
consistentwithcourtprecedenttoensureitsconstitutionality.
Thebillstreamlinestheprocessofdistributingformsand
verifyingsignaturesinawaythatcomportswiththetechnical
capabilitiesoftheequipmentatthedisposaloftheofficesofthe
SOSandlocalelectionauthorities. Settlinglegalchallengesas quicklyaspossiblerelievestheburdenonlocalelection
authoritiesandpetitionersofcollectingandverifyingsignatures
forapetitionwhichwilleventuallybethrownoutbyacourt.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Haffner;
OpportunitySolutionsProject;MissouriFarmBureau;andJohnR.
Ashcroft,OfficeofMissouriSecretaryofState.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatsometechnical
aspectsofthebillareduplicativeandunnecessary. Petition
circulatorsenjoybroadfirstamendmentrightsandsimilar
provisionslimitingwhomaycollectsignatureshavebeenstruck
downinotherstates.JustbecausetheJointCommitteeon
LegislativeResearchhasfailedtoperformastatutorydutydoesn't
meanthattherequirementshouldberepealed. Rather,the
Committeeshouldbeencouragedtodoitsduty.
TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwereProChoiceMissouri;
MissouriRealtors;RaymondL.James;Paraquad,Inc.;Denise
Lieberman,MissouriVoterProtectionCoalition;ACLUofMissouri;
AdvocatesofPlannedParenthoodofTheSt.LouisRegion&Southwest
Missouri;MarilynMcleod,LeagueofWomenVotersofMissouri;and
JobsWithJusticeVoterAction.
OTHERS:OtherstestifyingonthebillsaytheLegislaturerecently
attemptedtonullifyafederallawwiththeSecondAmendment
PreservationAct,soperhapsthatprovisionofthebillshouldbe
reexamined. Technicalchangestostandardizepetitionsare
generallygood,butthefontshouldn'tbemadesolargethatthe
petitionisononepageandthesignaturesonanother. Petitioners
whopayforsignaturesgenerallyweedoutinvalidonesontheir
own,makinglessworkfortheelectionauthorities.
TestifyinginpersononthebillwasRonCalzone.
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.