Bill > HJR135

This joint resolution proposes a constitutional amendment to strengthen and protect citizens' initiative and referendum powers in Missouri. The proposed amendment establishes four new constitutional sections that would: (1) require ballot summaries to be clear, unbiased, and accurate, with courts empowered to immediately revise summaries; (2) prohibit the legislature from weakening citizens' initiative or referendum powers, broadly defining such weakening to include raising signature thresholds, shortening signature collection time, or imposing additional requirements on petitioners; (3) establish initiative and referendum rights as fundamental rights that are subject to strict scrutiny; and (4) prevent the legislature from changing citizen-initiated laws or amendments unless 80% of both legislative chambers refer the change to voters. The amendment would maintain existing signature requirements for initiatives and referendums, specifically requiring signatures from 5% of voters in two-thirds of congressional districts for laws and 8% for constitutional amendments. The proposed changes would apply to laws and amendments initiated after January 1, 2010, and would be effective from December 3, 2026, if approved by voters in the 2026 general election.

https://house.mo.gov/Bill.aspx?bill=HJR135&year=2026&code=R