Protesters against redistricting efforts by Missouri GOP legislators chant in the Capitol rotunda on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, during a rally denouncing proposed laws that would likely increase the number of GOP representatives Missouri sends to Washington, D.C.
Christian Gooden, Post-Dispatch
Missouri Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, D-51黑料 County, reacts between debates on the Senate floor on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, at the state capitol in Jefferson City.
JEFFERSON CITY 鈥 Missouri Republicans on Thursday advanced a plan to weaken a process used by voters to expand Medicaid, increase the minimum wage and legalize recreational marijuana and sports gambling in recent years.
Residents and advocates filed into a Senate hearing room Thursday to oppose the resolution, which would ask voters to significantly raise the threshold for changing the Missouri Constitution via citizen petition.
鈥淭his would end majority rule in Missouri,鈥 said voting rights lawyer Denise Lieberman, the director of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition. 鈥淚t would make it more difficult for Missourians to have their voices heard at the ballot box.鈥
Republican lawmakers stuck to their arguments with the support of several business groups. Senators said the change is necessary to protect rural interests from being drowned out by urban voters and big-money advertising and signature-gathering campaigns funded by out-of-state liberals.
鈥淚 have a lot of concerns that a lot of this isn鈥檛 grass roots,鈥 said Sen. Mike Henderson, R-Bonne Terre. 鈥淎 lot of this money is coming in from out of state to fund a lot of these measures in Missouri.鈥
Currently, a citizen initiative petition can change the state constitution with approval from a simple majority of voters statewide.
The bill from Rep. Ed Lewis, R-Moberly, would require a majority of voters in each of the state鈥檚 eight congressional districts 鈥 as well as a statewide majority 鈥 to enact changes.
That likely would put an end to a string of victories by progressives who used the process to bypass the GOP-held legislature and take issues straight to voters.
Last November, 52% of voters 鈥 led by thousands of people in progressive-leaning urban centers like 51黑料, Kansas City and Columbia 鈥 approved an amendment legalizing abortion across the state.
Lewis said Thursday the abortion issue was a prime reason for needed change: More than half of the state鈥檚 congressional districts opposed it.
鈥淭here should be broad support statewide,鈥 he said.
The legislation, which passed on a 6-2 party-line vote, now moves to the full Senate. Senate leadership has pledged to pass the measure as early as Friday.
If it passes, the requirements would go to voters next year for approval.
Editor's note: The petition proposal will go to the voters; not to the governor's desk.聽
Voters have approved 25 of 27 previous attempts to reject proposed new laws by the Missouri General Assembly
Protesters against redistricting efforts by Missouri GOP legislators chant in the Capitol rotunda on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, during a rally denouncing proposed laws that would likely increase the number of GOP representatives Missouri sends to Washington, D.C.
Missouri Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, D-51黑料 County, reacts between debates on the Senate floor on Wednesday, Sept. 10, 2025, at the state capitol in Jefferson City.
