Veto and Extraordinary Sessions Conclude
Legislators returned to Jefferson City to convene the annual veto session on Sept. 10. This year’s session was coupled with an extraordinary session called by the governor, who asked the Legislature to pass reforms to the current initiative petition (IP) process and redraw congressional district lines. The veto session was pretty cut and dry and ended with no action taken to override any of the governor’s decisions on bills or budget line items.
Immediately following the concluded veto session, the Senate gaveled in for the second extraordinary session this year. The two pieces of legislation considered were House Joint Resolution 3 and House Bill 1. Both measures were passed by the Missouri House of Representatives on Sept. 9 and the Senate on Sept. 12 after lengthy discussions in both chambers.
The “Protect Missouri Voters Act,” or HJR3, will let voters decide whether or not to change the way IPs pass in Missouri. Currently, if a petition gets more than 51% of votes cast statewide, it passes and amends the Constitution. Under HJR 3, proposed petitions will need a majority of votes in each congressional district to go into effect. The resolution also bans foreign influence and financing in the process, requires the secretary of state to conduct public hearings on the topic and allows voters to read the full text of the proposed language before casting their ballot on Election Day.
The second proposal, HB 1, redraws Missouri’s eight congressional districts to make the state’s representation in Washington, D.C., more reflective of the Show-Me State’s conservative majority and values. The newly drawn map, labeled the “Missouri First Map” by the governor, mainly affects the central and western counties of the state. I’m thankful our entire senatorial district and all of southeast Missouri will still be under the jurisdiction of Congressional District 8.
The newly passed congressional map, which will potentially send seven conservatives and one member of the minority party to DC, is pictured below.
