Summary of the Introduced Version of the Bill

HB 1869 -- Initiative and Referendum Petitions

Sponsor: Dugger

This bill changes the laws regarding initiative and referendum

petitions. In its main provisions, the bill:

(1) Prohibits a person who has been convicted of, found guilty

of or pled guilty to an offense involving forgery under the laws

of Missouri or an offense in any other jurisdiction that would be

considered forgery if committed in Missouri from qualifying as a

petition circulator;

(2) Requires a petition circulator to indicate whether or not he

or she is being compensated by predominantly displaying a sign or

button stating that information. Any violation of this provision

will be an infraction subject to a penalty of not less than $100

but not more than $500;

(3) Specifies that any person who knowingly signs any name other

than his or her own to any petition will, upon conviction, be

guilty of a class one election offense which is a felony.

Currently, any person who signs any name other than his or her

own to any petition is guilty of a class A misdemeanor; 

(4) Requires the Joint Committee on Legislative Research to hold

a public hearing in Jefferson City on a ballot measure within 30

days of the Secretary of State’s certification to place the

ballot measure on the ballot. The hearing will take public

testimony in support and in opposition to the contents of the

ballot measure;

(5) Reduces the time that the Secretary of State has to approve

or disapprove the form of a ballot measure from 30 days to 15

days after submission; and

(6) Requires a petition circulator, within 45 days of the

approval of the form of a ballot measure, to submit at least

1,000 but no more than 2,000 signatures to the Secretary of State

to place a proposal on the ballot. If the Secretary of State

verifies that at least 1,000 signatures are valid by sending them

to the election authorities to be verified, then the proposal

will be approved. The Secretary of State verifies signatures by

sending them within five days to the election authorities who

have 15 days to reply. The Secretary of State then has 23 days

to prepare a summary statement. Signatures obtained prior to the

date the official title is certified by the Secretary of State

cannot be counted.

The provision requiring the Joint Committee on Legislative Research to conduct a public hearing contains an emergency

clause.

Copyright © Missouri House of Representatives