For Missouri Republicans, making it harder to amend the state’s constitution will remain a priority for the upcoming session.
Rep. Adam Schwadron, R-St. Charles, agrees with his party that public policy does not belong in Missouri’s constitution. However, he also believes there need to be greater protections for statutory changes that are passed by Missouri voters.
Currently, proposed changes to Missouri’s statutes require signatures from 5% of voters in six of the state’s congressional districts to get on the ballot and then a simple majority to win.
However, statute changes mean that lawmakers can edit or undo those efforts during session. Schwadron cited a 2010 statute change that imposed greater restrictions for puppy mills as an example.
“They had the statutory change on puppy mills, and then the legislature the very next year, wiped all of that away,” Schwadron said. “And so people said, ‘Why should we bother doing the 5% signatures, when we're already out there? Let's do the 8% and let's amend it to the constitution.”
Schwadron has proposed legislation that would make it harder for lawmakers to change voter-approved statutes.
“What I am calling for is, it would take three-quarters of the legislature, so far beyond any supermajority than any party holds right now, or possibly will hold,” Schwadron said. “So, it would take 75% of the House and 75% of the Senate to override any changes made by the people.”
Schwadron, who is running to become Missouri’s next secretary of state, is the latest guest on Politically Speaking. Here’s what else Schwadron talked about on the show:
- His bid for secretary of state, including what he wants to accomplish in the position.
- Whether the state should shift to counting ballots by hand instead of using machines.
- Missouri’s current two-week, no-excuse absentee voting period and if it should be expanded.
- If Republican lawmakers should push for any initiative petition changes to be on the August ballot in 2024 instead of November.
- The upcoming session, including whether having many lawmakers running for different positions will affect productivity.
Schwadron was first elected to the Missouri House of Representatives in 2020. He represents the 105th District, which includes the city of St. Charles.
Schwadron received his bachelor’s degree in political science from the University of Missouri-St. Louis.
