EXPLANATION-Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in this bill is not enacted
and is intended to be omitted in the law.
FIRST REGULAR SESSION
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 2
102ND GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATOR KOENIG.
0853S.03I KRISTINA MARTIN, Secretary
JOINT RESOLUTION
Submitting to the qualified voters of Missouri, an amendment repealing sections 50 and 51 of
article III of the Constitution of Missouri, and adopting two new sections in lieu thereof
relating to procedures for initiative petitions.
Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representatives concurring therein:
That at the next general election t o be held in the 1
state of Missouri, on Tuesday next following the first Monday 2
in November, 2024, or at a special election to be called by 3
the governor for that purpose, there is hereby submitted to 4
the qualified voters of this state, for adoption or 5
rejection, the following amendment to article III of the 6
Constitution of the state of Missouri:7
Section A. Sections 50 and 51, article III, Constitution 1
of Missouri, are repealed and two new sections adopted in lieu 2
thereof, to be known as sectio ns 50 and 51, to read as follows:3
Section 50. 1. Initiative petitions proposing 1
amendments to the constitution shall be signed by 2
[eight]seven percent of the legal voters in each of two - 3
thirds of the congressional districts in the state, and 4
petitions proposing laws shall be signed by five percent of 5
such voters. Every such petition shall be filed with the 6
secretary of state not less than six months before the 7
election and shall contain an enacting clause and the full 8
text of the measure. Petitions for constitutional 9
amendments shall not contain more than one amended and 10 SJR 2 2
revised article of this constitution, or one new article 11
which shall not contain more than one subject and matters 12
properly connected therewith, and the enacting clause 13
thereof shall be "Be it resolved by the people of the state 14
of Missouri that the Constitution be amended:". Petitions 15
for laws shall contain not more than one subject which shall 16
be expressed clearly in the title, and the enacting clause 17
thereof shall be "Be it enacted by the people of the state 18
of Missouri:". 19
2. Only United States citizens who are registered to 20
vote in Missouri as provided by law may vote on any 21
initiative petition submitted to the people. 22
3. Notwithstanding section 2 (b) of article XII of this 23
constitution to the contrary, any initiative petition 24
proposing an amendment to the constitution shall take effect 25
at the end of thirty days after the election when approved 26
by a majority of the total number of registered vot ers in 27
the state, and not otherwise. For purposes of this 28
subsection, the number of registered voters shall be 29
determined based on the number of people who were registered 30
to vote at the time of the most recent state election, 31
whether primary or gene ral election, preceding the election 32
at which the measure will be voted on. 33
4. Any initiative petition proposing laws shall take 34
effect when approved by at least a majority of the votes 35
cast thereon. 36
Section 51. The initiative shall not be used for the 1
appropriation of money other than of new revenues created 2
and provided for thereby, or for any other purpose 3
prohibited by this constitution. [Except as provided in 4
this constitution, any measure proposed shall take effect 5
when approved by a majority of the votes cast thereon. ] 6 SJR 2 3
When conflicting measures are approved at the same election 7
the one receiving the largest affirmative vote shall prevail. 8
Section B. Under chapter 116, RSMo, and other 1
applicable constitutional provisions and laws of this state 2
allowing the general assembly to adopt ballot language for 3
the submission of a joint resolution to the voters of this 4
state, the official ballot title of the amendment proposed 5
in Section A shall be as follows: 6
"Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to: 7
● Limit voting on initiative petitions to 8
United States citizens; 9
● Reduce the number of signatures required to 10
place an initiative petition proposing a 11
constitutional amendment on the ballot; 12
● Require approval of a majority of registered 13
Missouri voters to pass an initiative petition 14
to change the constitution?". 15