Currently, any constitutional amendment or new constitution takes effect when approved by a simple majority of the votes cast on the measure. This constitutional amendment requires any constitutional amendment or new constitution to be approved by both a simple majority of the votes cast on the measure statewide as well as a simple majority of the votes cast in a majority of the state House of Representatives districts.

The amendment creates new restrictions relating to the activity of foreign nationals and sources connected to foreign nationals, as those terms are defined in the act, with respect to proposing and advocating for or against proposed constitutions and constitutional amendments. Specifically, it shall be unlawful for:

1. A foreign national or a source connected to a foreign national to sponsor an initiative petition proposing a constitutional amendment;

2. A foreign national or a source connected to a foreign national to directly or indirectly make contributions or donations of money, or make an express or implied promise to make such contributions or donations, in connection with an election on a proposed constitution or constitutional amendment or contributions in support of or opposition to a proposed constitution or constitutional amendment;

3. A foreign national or a source connected to a foreign national to directly or indirectly make an expenditure, independent expenditure, or disbursement for an electioneering communication, whether print, broadcast, or digital media, or otherwise, related to a proposed constitution or constitutional amendment;

4. A foreign national or a source connected to a foreign national to directly or indirectly make a contribution to an individual or entity for the purpose of funding preliminary activity preceding the formation of a committee in support or opposition to proposed constitution or constitutional amendment; or

5. A person to solicit, accept, or receive, directly or indirectly, a contribution or donation from a foreign national or a source connected to a foreign national, in connection with a proposed constitution or constitutional amendment.

If a constitutional amendment is proposed by initiative petition, and the petition proponent, or committee associated with the proponent, knowingly violated the foreging restrictions governing foreign activity, the amendment shall be deemed void even if it received the requisite votes for approval.

Certain provisions in this constitutional amendment are similar to the introduced SJR 74 (2024), SJR 48 (2024), SJR 59 (2024), SJR 61 (2024), and a provision in SJR 83 (2024), SJR 28 (2023), SJR 33 (2023), provisions in SJR 2 (2023), SJR 10 (2023), SJR 17 (2023), HJR 18 (2023), and HCS/HJR 30 (2023).

SCOTT SVAGERA

HCS HBs 575 & 551 -- INITIATIVE AND REFERENDUM PETITIONS (Banderman)

COMMITTEE OF ORIGIN: Standing Committee on Elections

The following is a summary of the House Committee Substitute for HB 575.

This bill requires initiative and referendum petition signature pages to be printed on a form as specified by the Secretary of State. Signature page forms will be made available in electronic format (Sections 116.045 and 116.050, RSMo).

The bill requires petition circulators to be citizens of the United States, residents of Missouri or physically present in Missouri for at least 30 consecutive days prior to the collection of signatures, and prohibits them from being compensated based on the number of signatures collected. Circulator affidavits are updated to reflect these requirements (Sections 116.030, 116.040, 116.080).

Signatures will be recorded using black or dark ink. (Section 116.130)

Currently, any citizen can challenge the official ballot title or fiscal note for a Constitutional amendment, initiative petition, or referendum measure. This bill changes this to only allow any Missouri registered voter to make a challenge (Sections 116.190 and 116.200).

The bill requires final adjudication relating to a challenge of the official ballot title or fiscal note to occur at least eight weeks before the date of the election (Section 116.190).

Currently, the Secretary of State and Attorney General review initiative and referendum petitions for sufficiency as to form and approve or reject them on that basis. This bill changes this to require these officials to review initiative and referendum petitions for compliance with Section 116.050 and with Article III of the Missouri Constitution (Section 116.332).

The bill repeals the requirement that the Joint Committee on Legislative Research hold a hearing to take public comment on a proposed measure within 30 days of the Secretary of State issuing certification that the petition contains a sufficient number of valid signatures (Section 116.153).

This bill is similar to HB 1749 (2024) and HB 703 (2023).