FIRSTREGULARSESSION
HOUSEJOINT
RESOLUTION NO.52
103RDGENERALASSEMBLY
INTRODUCEDBYREPRESENTATIVESIMMONS.
1715H.01I JOSEPHENGLER,ChiefClerk
JOINTRESOLUTION
SubmittingtothequalifiedvotersofMissourianamendmentrepealingSections50,51,and
52(b)ofArticleIIIoftheConstitutionofMissouri,andadoptingfournewsectionsin
lieuthereofrelatingtoballotmeasuressubmittedtovoters.
BeitresolvedbytheHouseofRepresentatives,theSenateconcurringtherein:
ThatatthenextgeneralelectiontobeheldinthestateofMissouri,onTuesdaynext
2followingthefirstMondayinNovember,2026,orataspecialelectiontobecalledbythe
3governorforthatpurpose,thereisherebysubmittedtothequalifiedvotersofthisstate,for
4adoptionorrejection,thefollowingamendmenttoArticleIIIoftheConstitutionofthestate
5ofMissouri:
SectionA.Sections50,51,and52(b),ArticleIII,ConstitutionofMissouri,are
2repealedandfournewsectionsadoptedinlieuthereof,tobeknownasSections50,51,52(b),
3and54,toreadasfollows:
Section50.Initiativepetitionsproposingamendmentstotheconstitutionshallbe
2signedbyeightpercentofthelegalvotersineachoftwo-thirdsofthecongressionaldistricts
3inthestate,andpetitionsproposinglawsshallbesignedbyfivepercentofsuchvoters.Every
4suchpetitionshallbefiledwiththesecretaryofstatenotlessthansixmonthsbeforethe
5electionandshallcontainanenactingclauseandthefulltextofthemeasure.Votersineach
6congressionaldistrictshallhavetheopportunitytoreviewandcommentuponall
7initiativepetitionsproposingamendmentstotheconstitutionfollowingthefilingofthe
8petitionwiththesecretaryofstateandnotlessthanfifteendaysbeforethemeasure
EXPLANATION—Matterenclosedinbold-facedbrackets[thus] intheabovebillisnotenactedandis
intendedtobeomittedfromthelaw.Matterinbold-facetypeintheabovebillisproposedlanguage. 9appearsontheballot.Suchreviewandcommentprocessshallbeadministeredbythe
10secretaryofstateinapublicforum.Petitionsforconstitutionalamendmentsshallnot
11containmorethanoneamendedandrevisedarticleofthisconstitution,oronenewarticle
12whichshallnotcontainmorethanonesubjectandmattersproperlyconnectedtherewith,and
13theenactingclausethereofshallbe"BeitresolvedbythepeopleofthestateofMissourithat
14theConstitutionbeamended:".Petitionsforlawsshallcontainnotmorethanonesubject
15whichshallbeexpressedclearlyinthetitle,andtheenactingclausethereofshallbe"Beit
16enactedbythepeopleofthestateofMissouri:".Forthepurposesofthisarticle,only
17citizensoftheUnitedStatesofAmericawhoareresidentsofthestateofMissouriand
18whoareproperlyregisteredtovoteinthestateofMissourishallbeconsideredlegal
19voters.
Section51.1.Theinitiativeshallnotbeused:
2 (1)Fortheappropriationofmoneyotherthanofnewrevenuescreatedandprovided
3forthereby[,]; or
4 (2)Foranyotherpurposeprohibitedbythisconstitution.[Exceptasprovidedinthis
5constitution,]
6 2.Itshallbeunlawfulfor:
7 (1)Agovernmentofaforeigncountry,aforeignpoliticalparty,oraregistered
8foreignagenttosponsoraninitiativepetitionforanypurposewhatsoever;
9 (2)Agovernmentofaforeigncountry,aforeignpoliticalparty,oraregistered
10foreignagenttodirectlyorindirectlymake:
11 (a)Acontributionordonationofmoneyorotherthingofvalue,ormakean
12expressorimpliedpromisetomakeacontributionordonation,inconnectionwithan
13initiativepetition;
14 (b)Acontributionordonationtoapoliticalcommitteeorapoliticalparty
15favoringoropposinganinitiativepetition;or
16 (c)Anexpenditure,independentexpenditure,ordisbursementforan
17electioneeringcommunicationwhetherprint,broadcast,ordigitalmedia,or
18otherwise,relatedtoaninitiativepetition;or
19 (3)Apersontosolicit,accept,orreceiveacontributionordonationfroma
20governmentofaforeigncountry,aforeignpoliticalparty,oraregisteredforeignagent
21inconnectionwithaninitiativepetition.
22 3.(1)Anystatutorymeasure[proposed] shalltakeeffectwhenapprovedbya
23majorityofthevotescastthereon.
24 (2)NotwithstandingSection2(b)ofArticleXIIofthisconstitution,any
25constitutionalamendmentreferredtothepeopleshalltakeeffectwhenapprovedby
26sixtypercentofthevotescastthereonstatewidebylegalvoters.
HJR52 2 27 (3)Whenconflictingmeasuresareapprovedatthesameelectiontheonereceiving
28thelargestaffirmativevoteshallprevail.
Section52(b).Thevetopowerofthegovernorshallnotextendtomeasuresreferred
2tothepeople.Allelectionsonmeasuresreferredtothepeopleshallbehadatthegeneralstate
3elections,exceptwhenthegeneralassemblyshallorderaspecialelection.Anystatutory
4measurereferredtothepeopleshalltakeeffectwhenapprovedbyamajorityofthevotescast
5thereon,andnototherwise.NotwithstandingSection2(b)ofArticleXIIofthis
6constitution,anyconstitutionalamendmentreferredtothepeopleshalltakeeffectwhen
7approvedbysixtypercentofthevotescastthereonstatewidebylegalvoters.This
8sectionshallnotbeconstruedtodepriveanymemberofthegeneralassemblyoftherightto
9introduceanymeasure.
Section54.1.NotwithstandingSection27ofthisarticletothecontrary,until
2twoyearsfollowingtheeffectivedateofanylawapprovedbythepeoplethroughthe
3initiativepetitionprocess,thegeneralassemblyshallnotpassanylawamendingor
4repealingsuchmeasureunless,byavoteofyeasandnays,atleastfour-seventhsofthe
5membersservingineachhouse,lessanyvacancies,berecordedasvotingfavorably.
6 2.Intheeventthatacourtofcompetentjurisdictionissuesafinaljudgmentthat
7declaresalawapprovedbythepeoplethroughtheinitiativepetitionprocess
8unconstitutionalorotherwiseinvalid,inwholeorinpart,orthatotherwiserenders
9thelawinoperableandofnoforceandeffectoflaw,inwholeorinpart,theprovisionsof
10subsection1ofthissectionshallnotapplyandthegeneralassemblymayamendor
11repealsuchmeasureinamannerthatisotherwiseconsistentwiththisconstitution.
12 3.Ifanyinitiativepetitionproposingaconstitutionalamendmentthatis
13approvedbythepeopleisfoundbyacourtofcompetentjurisdictiontobe
14unconstitutionalorotherwiseinvalid,inwholeorinpart,theremainingprovisionsof
15theamendmentshallalsobeinvalid.
16 4.Subsections1and2ofthissectionshallapplyonlytoanylawadoptedthrough
17theinitiativepetitionprocess.
âś”
HJR52 3