Missouri lawmakers begin pre-filing bills, including one changing how to amend the constitution

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KY3) - Lawmakers began officially looking ahead to the 2024 Missouri Legislative Session.

Lawmakers pre-filed hundreds of bills in the first few hours on Friday. What lawmakers file hints at what the priorities will be in the session. The legislation filed on Friday focuses on the state’s abortion laws, elementary and secondary education, and terrorist organizations.

A rule change passed last session limits house members to only being allowed to submit 20 bills for consideration. If a member of the House wishes to file more, they will have to seek the approval of the Speaker of the House.

Democratic State Representative Joe Adams, who represents the 86th district, says the rule doesn’t go far enough, “It doesn’t guarantee the minority party that their bills will be heard or a percentage of them will be heard.”

State Rep. Adams hopes that one of his bills, HJR 80, will be heard in the resolution; it would work to ensure the voter’s decision on a matter will stand and not be overturned in the general assembly.

“The citizens put an initiative decision on the ballot, it is approved, and they quickly overturn it. This is, in a sense, to blockade it,” says State Rep. Adams.

On the other side of the aisle, Republics have been working to get their bills pre-filed as well today.

“What I believe is that the constitution, being the DNA of our state, needs to be a high threshold in order to change the constitution,” says Republican State Representative Brad Hudson from Stone and Christain Counties.

Once a constitution amendment is on the ballot, a simple majority of the voters is needed to make it law. Republican Representative Brad Hudson has introduced HJR 76. The bill would require a simple majority statewide, but also, for a constitutional amendment to pass, it would have a majority of votes in half of the congressional districts.

“As far as what issues could come up, we are not eliminating the people’s right to bring something before the voters and to potentially amend the constitution. We are just making it so there are voices heard from all parts of the state before that is done,” says Hudson.

Republican Majority Whip, State Rep. Hardy Billington, agrees.

”I think altering the constitution should require a more rigorous process compared to changing state laws. It doesn’t seem right that only six out of the eight House districts have a say; all districts should be involved,” said State Rep. Billington. “Our state constitution is about twenty times lengthier than the U.S. Constitution. Even though constitutional amendments can run several pages, voters only get a brief summary. On top of that, there’s a flow of out-of-state funds, and those groups frequently aren’t completely transparent.”

“While Republican dysfunction in Jefferson City has led to the number of bills actually passed to plummet, House Democrats will continue to focus and prioritize strengthening our public education system, reducing violent crime, protecting reproductive rights and access to birth control, and providing tax relief for working Missouri families,” said Democratic State Rep. Crystal Quade. “From now through the end of the session, House Democrats will remain committed to passing responsible legislation that improves the daily lives of Missourians throughout the state, and the dysfunction of the Republican-controlled legislature is the only thing that will continue derailing those efforts.”

For both sides of the aisle, the state constitution could take front and center this election year. From working to ensuring every vote is heard.

“One of the top priorities is going to be the very issues is what we began in this discussion talking about deals with and this amending Missouri’s constitution. It is way too easy to amend Missouri’s constitution,” says Hudson.

To ensure those in Jefferson City can’t overturn the voters’ wishes.

“I am there to fight for the citizens of Missouri. The citizens of Missouri have passed that have been overthrown by the legislature, and I am quite upset about it,” says Adams.

To read the legislation pre-filed, CLICK HERE.

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