HCSHB1749--INITIATIVEPETITIONSANDREFERENDUMS
SPONSOR: Haffner
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonElectionsandElectedOfficialsbyavoteof12to5.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
1749.
Thisbillrequiresinitiativeandreferendumpetitionsignature
pagestobeprintedonaformasspecifiedbytheSecretaryof
State.Signaturepageformsshallbemadeavailableinelectronic
format.
Nomeasurecirculatingbypetitionshallclaimtonullifyoramend
Federallaw.
Signaturesshallberecordedusingblackordarkink.
Thisbillrequiresthatpetitioncirculatorsbecitizensofthe
UnitedStates,residentsofMissouriorphysicallypresentin
Missouriforatleast30consecutivedayspriortothecollection
ofsignatures,andprohibitsthemfrombeingcompensatedbasedon
thenumberofsignaturescollected.
Thebillrequiresfinaladjudicationrelatingtoachallengeofthe
officialballottitleorfiscalnotetooccurlessthaneightweeks
beforethedateoftheelection.
Currently,theSecretaryofStateandAttorneyGeneralreview
initiativeandreferendumpetitionsforsufficiencyastoformand
approveorrejectthemonthatbasis.Thisbillchangesthisto
requiretheseofficialstoreviewinitiativeandreferendum
petitionsforcompliancewithSection116.050,RSMoandwith
ArticleIIIoftheMissouriConstitution.
Currently,anycitizenmaychallengetheofficialballottitleor
fiscalnoteforaConstitutional amendment,initiativepetition,or
referendummeasure. Thisbillchangesthistoonlyallowany
Missouriregisteredvotertomakesuchachallenge.
Thisbillrequiresinitiativeandreferendumpetitionsamplesheets
tobesubmittedtotheSecretaryofStatesixmonthspriortothe
nextgeneralelection.
Ifacourtordersachangethatsubstantiallyaltersthecontentof
theofficialballottitleofaninitiativeorreferendumpetition, allsignaturesgatheredbeforesuchchangeoccurredshallbe
invalidated.
ThisbillrepealstherequirementthattheJointCommitteeon
LegislativeResearchholdahearingtotakepubliccommentona
proposedmeasurewithin30daysoftheSecretaryofStateissuing
certificationthatthepetitioncontainsasufficientnumberof
validsignatures.
ThisbillissimilartoHB703(2023).
Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthesechangeswouldhelp
standardizetheprocessofapprovinginitiativepetitionsand
increaseefficiencyfortheStateofficestaskedwithverifying
them.Manyofthefont,formatting,andsignaturechangesare
necessarytoallowscannerstoverifypetitionsproperly. These
changeswerecarefullywrittentoavoidlegalchallengesand
comportwithjudicialprecedent. Newrestrictionsonwhois
allowedtogathersignatureswillbringmoreintegritytothe
processasawhole.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Haffner;
MissouriFarmBureau;OpportunitySolutionsProject;andTrish
Vincent,MissouriSecretaryofState.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythattheseare
superfluousmeasuresintendedtolengthenthetimeittakestoget
aninitiativepetitionapprovedandthusmakeithardertogetone
ontheballot.Manyoftheprovisionsofthisbillhavealready
beenruledunconstitutional. Otherprovisionsarefullyconsistent
withexistingFederallawandthusunnecessary. Partisan
politicianswillbecomegatekeeperstotheprocessofapproving
initiativepetitions. Thesefactorswillunderminetheabilityof
citizenstopetitiontheirgovernment.
TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwerePoliticalDirector;
DeniseLieberman,MissouriVoterProtectionCoalition;Kevin
Fitzgerald;PeterSchneeberger;Rev.DouglasSmith;AbortionAction
Missouri(FormerlyProChoiceMissouri);AdvocatesofPlanned
ParenthoodoftheSt.LouisRegionandSouthwestMissouri;American
CivilLibertiesUnionofMissouri;JobsWithJusticeVoterAction;
andMissouriRealtors. Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.