|
Last Week of Session Ends in Acrimony
The final week of the legislative session ended in bitterness and in-fighting among GOP members of the Missouri Senate. On Monday, Senate leaders brought SJR 74 to the floor for debate. SJR 74, sponsored by Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman (R-Arnold), would revise the requirements for amendments to the Missouri Constitution. Currently, citizens can petition to amend the Missouri Constitution by gathering signatures from legal residents in the eight Congressional districts. If enough signatures are gathered, the issue is placed on the ballot and must be approved by a majority of voters (50%+1).
SJR 74 would have required any amendment to the Constitution to be approved by 50%+1 of voters, plus by a majority of the voters in 5 of the 8 Missouri Congressional districts. The original version of SJR 74 also included language that would prohibit foreign political parties or entities from sponsoring or paying for ballot initiatives and would prevent any non-citizens being allowed to vote on the issue at the ballot box (non-residents already cannot vote in Missouri elections).
When the Senate debated SJR 74 earlier in the session, Democrats objected to the “ballot candy” (items related to foreign interference or non-resident voters) being included. They filibustered the bill and the ballot candy was removed. The amended SJR 74 was sent to the House for consideration. During debate in the House, the ballot candy was reinserted. This week, the Senate again took up SJR 74 with the ballot candy, and the Senate Democrats staged a 50-hour filibuster. Sen. Coleman, and a majority of the Senate, then agreed to a motion to send the bill back to the House for a conference to see if the two bodies could work out the differences. The House rejected the conference motion and told the Senate to take up SJR 74 with the ballot candy and pass it. The Senate refused and today gaveled in and gaveled out, adjourning for the session. The House finished the day, allowing members to express points of personal privilege on the floor, and taking up Senate bills on the House calendar for consideration.
Next week, I’ll report in more detail on the bills that passed and were sent to the Governor.
Deacon Tyler
|
