Right to Work moves forward with three days left in legislative session

The House economic development committee hosted a hearing Tuesday on a proposal that would move a vote on the Right to Work referendum from the November to the August ballot.

It’s one of two Right to Work initiatives that are currently moving through the legislature. On Monday night, the House voted in favor of a proposal that would amend the constitution to make Missouri a Right to Work state. That proposal now heads to the Senate.

Last week, the ballot referendum moved through the Senate after an hours-long filibuster. Voter turnout is lower in August, so some say it’s a ploy to ensure Right to Work will pass.

“The governor ran on this. So, I feel the people have voted on this over and over again. And so I don’t feel that we’re going to have different turnout for this ballot initiative. We just need to get it done quickly,” Rep. Holly Rehder (R) – District 148 told ABC 17 News Tuesday after the hearing.

Gov. Greitens signed a Right to Work bill into law last year, arguing that it would boost our state’s economy. But, around 300,000 signatures were gathered, freezing the law.

“I was out collecting signatures, and I will say that the majority of the people asked me when they would be voting on this and in bold letters it did say November of 2018. So, a lot of folks, when they did sign this, thought that they were going to be voting on this in November,” Rep. Doug Beck (D) – District 92 argued in the hearing.

Rehder said she’s confident the bill will pass with just three days left in the legislative session. Asked whether she thought Gov. Greitens’ legal issues have caused a holdup, Rehder replied “I don’t think so. Not at all. The signatures that were gathered were gathered last year.”

The bill will now head to the rules committee before it heads to the House floor for a vote.

“The house has voted on Right to Work many times over the past few years, so I don’t foresee any problems,” Rehder said.