HCSHB2140--ELECTIONS(McGaugh)
CommitteeofOrigin:ElectionsandElectedOfficials
Thisbillmodifiesprovisionsrelatedtoelections.
Thebillallowstheofficeroragencycallinganelectiontonotify
theelectionauthorityresponsibleforconductingtheelectionof
anelectionviaemail.
Currently,thefilingtimefordeclarationsofcandidacyfor
officesinpoliticalsubdivisionsorspecialdistrictsnot
otherwisespecifiedinlaworcharterisfromthe17thTuesday
priortotheelectionthroughthe14thTuesdaypriortothe
election.
Thisbillmovesthefilingtimebyoneweek,fromthe16thTuesday
priortotheelectiontothe13thTuesdaypriortotheelection.
Thebillalsoprovidesthatifthe13thTuesdaypriortothe
electionisastateorfederalholiday,theclosingfilingdate
shallbethenextdaythatisnotastateorfederalholiday.
Thisbillspecifiesthattheelectionauthorityforapolitical
subdivisionorspecialdistrictmustlabeltaxation-relatedballot
measuressubmittedbythepoliticalsubdivisionorspecialdistrict
numericallyoralphabetically, andthatballotmeasurescannotbe
labeledinanyotherdescriptivemanner.
Currently,coveredvoterseligibletoregistertovote,interstate
formerresidents,andnewresidentsmayvotebyabsenteeballotfor
presidentialandvicepresidentialelectors. Thisbillallowssuch
voterstovoteattheofficeoftheelectionauthorityonelection
dayforsuchelectors.
Thebillspecifiesthatlistsofabsenteevoterswithpermanent
disabilitiesshallbekeptconfidentialandshallnotbepostedor
displayedinanareaopentothepublicnorshowntoany
unauthorizedperson.
Currently,eachabsenteeballotreceivedbytheelectionauthority
mustbemarkedasreceivedonthelistandifanyofthestatements
onanyballotenvelopehavenotbeencompleted,theabsenteeballot
isrejected. Thisbilladdsthattheelectionauthorityshall
comparethesignatureontheballotenvelopewiththesignatureof
thevoteronthevoter'sregistrationrecordandifthesignature
isinconsistentwiththevoter'ssignatureonthevoter's
registrationrecord,theenvelopeshallberejected. Currently,provisionalballotsareavailableatelectionswhere
federalorstatewidecandidatesorstatewideballotmeasuresareon
theballot.Thisbillmakesprovisionalballotsavailableatany
publicelection.
Thisbilladdsthreateningtoharmorengaginginconduct
reasonablycalculatedtoharassoralarmanelectionofficialor
memberofone'sfamily,attemptingtopressureanelectionofficial
toviolateaprovisionofelectionlaw,anddoxxinganelection
officialormemberofone'sfamilyasclassthreeelection
offenses. Iftheprohibitedactivityresultsindeathorbodily
injurytoanelectionofficialormemberoftheofficial'sfamily,
theoffenseshallbeaclassBfelony.
Currently,electioneering activitiesareprohibitedwithina
certaindistanceofapollinglocationonelectionday.Thisbill
appliesthesamerestrictionstolocationswherein-personabsentee
votingoccursduringtheabsenteevotingperiod.Thebillalso
addscirculatinginitiativeandreferendumpetitionstothislist
ofprohibitedactivitieswithinacertaindistanceofapolling
location.
Thebillrepealsanexistingsunsetonastatutoryprovision
grantingtheSecretaryofState'sofficesubpoenapowerforthe
purposeofinvestigatingallegationsofelectionoffenses.
Thisbillcreatesthe"MissouriElectionsSovereigntyAct".The
billspecifiesthattheStateofMissourireservestherightto
determinethetime,place,andmannerofitsownstateelections,
anddeclaresthatanyfederallawsregulatingthesameshallapply
onlytofederalelections.
Thebillalsorequiresanyballotmeasureseekingapprovaltoadd,
change,ormodifyataxonrealpropertytoexpresstheeffectof
theproposedchangewithintheballotlanguageintermsofthe
changeinrealdollarsowedper$100,000ofaproperty'smarket
valuation.
Thebillspecifiesthat,ifthevotersinapoliticalsubdivision
approveatemporarylevyincreasepriortotheexpirationofa
previouslyapprovedtemporarylevyincrease,thenewtaxrate
ceilingwillremainineffectonlyuntilthetemporarylevy
increaseexpiresunderthetermsoriginallyapprovedbyavoteof
thepeople.Atthattime,thetaxrateceilingwillbedecreased
bytheamountofthetemporarylevyincreaseunlessvotersofthe
politicalsubdivisionareaskedtoapproveanadditionalpermanent
increaseandsuchincreaseisapproved. Beginningwiththegeneralassessmentperformedin2023,when
votersinaschooldistrictservingacensus-designatedplacewith
morethan27,000butfewerthan30,000inhabitantsandlocatedina
countywithmorethanonemillioninhabitantspassesanincreasein
theschooldistrict'staxrate,theschooldistrictshallusethe
currenttaxrateceilingandtheincreaseapprovedbythevotersin
establishingtheratesoflevyforthetaxyearimmediately
followingtheelection. Iftheassessedvaluationofrealproperty
inaschooldistrictseesareductioninvalueinthetaxyear
immediatelyfollowingtheelection,theschooldistrictmayraise
itstaxratessothattherevenuereceivedfromitslocalreal
propertytaxratesequalstheamounttheschooldistrictwouldhave
receivedfromtheincreasedratesoflevyhadtherebeenno
reductionintheassessedvaluationofrealpropertyintheschool
district. Intheeventofanincreasedtaxrateceiling,suchrate
shallberevenueneutralasrequiredinArticleX,Section22of
theConstitutionofMissouri.