HCSHBs575&551--INITIATIVEANDREFERENDUMPETITIONS
SPONSOR: Banderman
COMMITTEEACTION:Voted"DoPasswithHCS"bytheStanding
CommitteeonElectionsbyavoteof8to4.
ThefollowingisasummaryoftheHouseCommitteeSubstituteforHB
575.
Thisbillrequiresinitiativeandreferendumpetitionsignature
pagestobeprintedonaformasspecifiedbytheSecretaryof
State.Signaturepageformswillbemadeavailableinelectronic
format.
Thisbillrequirespetitioncirculatorstobecitizensofthe
UnitedStates,residentsofMissouriorphysicallypresentin
Missouriforatleast30consecutivedayspriortothecollection
ofsignatures,andprohibitsthemfrombeingcompensatedbasedon
thenumberofsignaturescollected.
Signatureswillberecordedusingblackordarkink.
Currently,anycitizencanchallengetheofficialballottitleor
fiscalnoteforaConstitutional amendment,initiativepetition,or
referendummeasure. Thisbillchangesthistoonlyallowany
Missouriregisteredvotertomakeachallenge.
Thebillrequiresfinaladjudicationrelatingtoachallengeofthe
officialballottitleorfiscalnotetooccuratleasteightweeks
beforethedateoftheelection.
Currently,theSecretaryofStateandAttorneyGeneralreview
initiativeandreferendumpetitionsforsufficiencyastoformand
approveorrejectthemonthatbasis.Thisbillchangesthisto
requiretheseofficialstoreviewinitiativeandreferendum
petitionsforcompliancewithSection116.050,RSMoandwith
ArticleIIIoftheMissouriConstitution.
ThisbillrepealstherequirementthattheJointCommitteeon
LegislativeResearchholdahearingtotakepubliccommentona
proposedmeasurewithin30daysoftheSecretaryofStateissuing
certificationthatthepetitioncontainsasufficientnumberof
validsignatures.
ThisbillissimilartoHB1749(2024)andHB703(2023). Thefollowingisasummaryofthepublictestimonyfromthe
committeehearing. Thetestimonywasbasedontheintroduced
versionofthebill.
PROPONENTS: Supporterssaythatthereshouldbestronger
safeguardsformakingsurethesignaturegatheringprocessis
properlyconducted.Thebillhasanumberofcommonsensechanges
designedtoprotectMissourians'identities,helpthemmaketheir
voicesheard,andtakechargeoftheirconstitution.Thesechanges
arenecessarytostreamlinetheworkelectionofficialsmust
performinordertoprocessandapproveinitiativepetitionswith
limitedresources.
TestifyinginpersonforthebillwereRepresentative Banderman;
MarkFiegenbaum,MissouriFarmBureau;ByronKeelin,Freedom
PrincipleMissouri;SamuelH.Lee,CampaignLifeMissouri.
OPPONENTS: Thosewhoopposethebillsaythatthesechangesare
designedtopreventinitiativepetitionsfrombeingplacedonthe
ballotbymakingiteasiertodisqualifysignaturesforclerical
reasons,byrestrictingpetitionersfromcompensatingsignature
gatherersincertainways,byincreasingthenumberofpeoplewho
canchallengeaninitiativepetition,andbyrejectingsignatures
ifacourtmodifiestheballottitle..
TestifyinginpersonagainstthebillwereMaggieOliviaEdmondson,
AbortionActionMissouri;ConnorLuebbert,MissouriVoter
ProtectionCoalition;MelissaVatterott,MissouriCoalitionForThe
Environment;RonBerry,JobsWithJusticeVoterAction;Arnie
C.Honest-Abe"Dienoff-StatePublicAdvocate;MarcelHagens,Action
St.LouisPowerProject.
OTHERS:Otherstestifyingonthebillofferedtoanswerquestions
membersofthecommitteehad.
TestifyinginpersononthebillwasAmandaBell,SecretaryOf
State.
ThisbillisthesameasHB1749/3166H.02P (2024).
Writtentestimonyhasbeensubmittedforthisbill.Thefull
writtentestimonyandwitnessestestifyingonlinecanbefound
underTestimonyonthebillpageontheHousewebsite.