Bill > HB1999

This bill modifies Missouri's initiative petition process by prohibiting payment for petition circulators and making several key changes to the existing law. Specifically, the bill removes a previous section that allowed circulators to indicate whether they expect to be paid, and explicitly states that circulators for initiative petitions shall not receive compensation. The bill maintains existing requirements that petition circulators must be at least 18 years old and registered with the secretary of state, and continues to bar individuals with forgery convictions from serving as circulators. The legislation also preserves the existing penalties for various petition-related infractions, such as signing a petition with a false name or signing multiple times, which remain classified as a class A misdemeanor potentially punishable by up to one year in county jail or a fine of up to $10,000. By preventing paid circulators, the bill aims to change the dynamics of citizen-led ballot initiatives, potentially making it more challenging to gather signatures by relying solely on volunteers.

Government Affairs

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HB1999&year=2026&code=R