Petitioners turn in signatures as lawmakers try to raise threshold to pass petitions

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

With a Sunday deadline, petitioners are turning in signatures to get their questions on the November ballot. But while they're working to get questions passed, some lawmakers are trying to make it more difficult to do so.

A group that advocates for workers' benefits submitted a petition with over 200,000 signatures to the Secretary of State's Office on Wednesday. The Secretary of State's Office expects other petitioners to turn in signatures throughout the week, including the sports betting petition and petition to restore abortion rights.

Missourians for Healthy Families and Fair Wages says it gathered over 210,000 signatures to provide Missouri workers with paid sick leave and an increase in minimum wage.

Under this petition, Missouri workers would earn one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked. In addition, businesses with 15 or fewer workers would be required to provide five sick days a year. Businesses bigger than that would have to provide workers with seven days per year of paid sick leave. The petition allows employees to take sick leave for themselves to care for a family member.

The other part of this petition would raise the minimum wage for the next two years. On New Year's Day 2025 the new minimum wage would be $13.75. In 2026 it would rise to $15. Under this petition, the minimum wage would continue to increase annually based on the cost of living.

"I have worked in Missouri for most of my adult life. I make less than $15 an hour. I have no paid sick time.  And because I think that is unconscionable and unjust, I'm here to get that reversed," said Alejandra Gallardo, a restaurant worker from Columbia.

After the petitions are turned in, the Secretary of State's Office will verify all the signatures are Missourians registered to vote. For a constitutional amendment to make the ballot, a petition needs roughly 175,000 signatures from six of the state's eight congressional districts. To get a question on the ballot this year, signatures need to be turned in to the Secretary of State's Office by next Wednesday.

If the petition meets the threshold, Missourians will be able to vote on whether to implement the changes to the state constitution.

Right now, 139 petitions are approved to start collecting signatures. Many of those are different versions of the same petition, such as a petition that would legalize sports betting that has eight slightly different versions.

Initiative petition reform efforts

As the due date for initiative petitions quickly approaches, lawmakers are considering bills that would raise the threshold for enshrining a new amendment into law through a direct vote. Republican Missouri House Speaker Rep. Dean Plocher sent a letter this week to Missouri Senate Leader Sen. Cindy O'Laughlin (R-Shelbina) urging her to pass the initiative petition reform bill the House of Representatives approved.

The House passed an amended Senate resolution introduced by Sen. Mary Elizabeth Coleman (R-Arnold). It now needs another vote in the Senate for approval. If passed, voters would decide whether to implement the changes to initiative petition process.

"All too often the Missouri Constitution is being convoluted by out of state interests exerting their influence on our state with a lot of money," Plocher said.

This proposal would raise how many votes are needed to pass an initiative petition once it is on the ballot. Amendments only need a simply majority now.

"If your friends and neighbors vote away that you don't agree, you need to work to change their hearts and minds and not cut out the needs from democracy from under them," said Crystal Buffalo, a librarian from Columbia who helped collect signatures for the minimum wage petition.

The House added back in part of the bill that was taken out that opponents are calling "ballot candy." It asks voters if they want to make it illegal for non-U.S. citizens to vote in Missouri elections. However, that is already illegal.

Wednesday morning, the Senate continued its over 24-hour filibuster on the Federal Reimbursement Allowance, which conservative senators have vowed to hold up until petition reform is passed.