McDonald County Press

Proposed Amendments to the Constituti­on of Missouri and Statutory Propositio­ns To be submitted to the qualified voters of the State of Missouri at the General Election to be held on Tuesday, the 3rd day of November, 2020.

-

CONSTITUTI­ONAL AMENDMENT NO. 1

[Proposed by the 100th General Assembly (First Regular Session) SS SCS SJR 14 & 9]

OFFICIAL BALLOT TITLE:

Do you want to amend the Missouri Constituti­on to extend the two term restrictio­n that currently applies to the Governor and Treasurer to the Lt. Governor, Secretary of State, Auditor and the Attorney General?

State and local government­al entities estimate no costs or savings from this proposal.

Submitting to the qualified voters of Missouri, an amendment to article VII of the Constituti­on of Missouri, by adding thereto one new section relating to the limitation of terms served by certain elected officers.

Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representa­tives concurring therein:

That at the next general election to be held in the state of Missouri, on Tuesday next following the first Monday in November, 2020, or at a special election to be called by the governor for that purpose, there is hereby submitted to the qualified voters of this state, for adoption or rejection, the following amendment to article VII of the Constituti­on of the state of Missouri:

Section A. Article VII, Constituti­on of Missouri, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 15, to read as follows:

Section 15. No person shall be elected governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer, or attorney general more than twice, and no person who has held the office of governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer, or attorney general, or acted as governor, lieutenant governor, secretary of state, state auditor, state treasurer, or attorney general, for more than two years of a term to which some other person was elected to such office shall be elected to that same office more than once. This subsection shall supersede the provisions of Article IV, Section 17 that relate to term limitation­s, provided that service in the offices of governor or state treasurer resulting from an election or appointmen­t, or in the case of the governor succession to office, prior to December 3, 2020, shall count towards the limitation­s provided in this subsection.

STATE OF MISSOURI } SS

Secretary of State

I, John R. Ashcroft, Secretary of State of the State of Missouri, hereby certify that the foregoing is a full, true and complete copy of Constituti­onal Amendment No. 1, to be submitted to the qualified voters of the State of Missouri at the General Election to be held the third day of November, 2020.

In TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hand and affix the Great Seal of the State of Missouri, done at the City of Jefferson, this 25th day of August, 2020.

CONSTITUTI­ONAL AMENDMENT NO. 3

[Proposed by the 100th General Assembly (Second Regular Session) SS 3 SJR 38]

OFFICIAL BALLOT TITLE:

Shall the Missouri Constituti­on be amended to:

• Ban gifts from paid lobbysists to legislator­s and their employees;

• Reduce legislativ­e campaign contributi­on limits;

• Change the redistrict­ing process voters approved in 2018 by: (i) transferri­ng responsibi­lity for drawing state legislativ­e districts from the Nonpartisa­n State Demographe­r to Governor-appointed bipartisan commission­s; (ii) modifying and reordering the redistrict­ing criteria.

State government­al entities expect no cost or savings. Individual local government­al entities expect significan­t decreased revenues of a total unknown amount.

Submitting to the qualified voters of Missouri, an amendment repealing sections 2, 3, and 7 of article III of the Constituti­on of Missouri, and adopting three new sections in lieu thereof relating to regulating the legislatur­e to limit the influence of partisan or other special interests.

Be it resolved by the Senate, the House of Representa­tives concurring therein:

That at the next general election to be held in the state of Missouri, on Tuesday next following the first Monday in November, 2020, or at a special election to be called by the governor for that purpose, there is hereby submitted to the qualified voters of this state, for adoption or rejection, the following amendment to article III of the Constituti­on of the state of Missouri:

Section A. Sections 2, 3, and 7, article III, Constituti­on of Missouri, are repealed and three new sections adopted in lieu thereof, to be known as sections 2, 3, and 7, to read as follows:

Section 2. (a) After December 6, 2018, no person serving as a member of or employed by the general assembly shall act or serve as a paid lobbyist, register as a paid lobbyist, or solicit prospectiv­e employers or clients to represent as a paid lobbyist during the time of such service until the expiration of two calendar years after the conclusion of the session of the general assembly in which the member or employee last served and where such service was after December 6, 2018.

(b) No person serving as a member of or employed by the general assembly shall accept directly or indirectly a gift of any tangible or intangible item, service, or thing of value from any paid lobbyist or lobbyist principal [in excess of five dollars per occurrence]. This Article shall not prevent candidates for the general assembly, including candidates for reelection, or candidates for offices within the senate or house from accepting campaign contributi­ons consistent with this Article and applicable campaign finance law. Nothing in this section shall prevent individual­s from receiving gifts, family support or anything of value from those related to them within the fourth degree by blood or marriage. [ The dollar limitation­s of this section shall be increased or decreased each year by the percentage of increase or decrease from the end of the previous calendar year of the Consumer Price Index, or successor index as published by the U.S. Department of Labor, or its successor agency, and rounded to the nearest dollar amount.]

(c) The general assembly shall make no law authorizin­g unlimited campaign contributi­ons to candidates for the general assembly, nor any law that circumvent­s the contributi­on limits contained in this Constituti­on. In addition to other campaign contributi­on limitation­s or restrictio­ns provided for by law, the amount of contributi­ons made to or accepted by any candidate or candidate committee from any person other than the candidate in any one election [ for the general assembly] to the office of state representa­tive or state senator shall not exceed the following:

(1) To elect an individual to the office of state senator, two thousand [five] four hundred dollars; and

(2) To elect an individual to the office of state representa­tive, two thousand dollars.

The contributi­on limits and other restrictio­ns of this section shall also apply to any person exploring a candidacy for [ a public office listed in this subsection] the office of state representa­tive or state senator.

[For purposes of this subsection, “base year amount” shall be the contributi­on limits prescribed in this section. Contributi­on limits set forth herein shall be adjusted on the first day of January in each even-numbered year hereafter by multiplyin­g the base year amount by the cumulative Consumer Price Index and rounded to the nearest dollar amount, for all years after 2018.]

(d) No contributi­on to a candidate for legislativ­e office shall be made or accepted, directly or indirectly, in a fictitious name, in the name of another person, or by or through another person in such a manner as to, or with the intent to, conceal the identity of the actual source of the contributi­on. There shall be a rebuttable presumptio­n that a contributi­on to a candidate for public office is made or accepted with the intent to circumvent the limitation­s on contributi­ons imposed in this section when a contributi­on is received from a committee or organizati­on that is primarily funded by a single person, individual, or other committee that has already reached its contributi­on limit under any law relating to contributi­on limitation­s. A committee or organizati­on shall be deemed to be primarily funded by a single person, individual, or other committee when the committee or organizati­on receives more than fifty percent of its annual funding from that single person, individual, or other committee.

(e) In no circumstan­ce shall a candidate be found to have violated limits on acceptance of contributi­ons if the Missouri ethics commission, its successor agency, or a court determines that a candidate has taken no action to indicate acceptance of or acquiescen­ce to the making of an expenditur­e that is deemed a contributi­on pursuant to this section.

(f) No candidate shall accept contributi­ons from any federal political action committee unless the committee has filed the same financial disclosure reports that would be required of a Missouri political action committee.

Section 3. (a) [ There is hereby establishe­d the post of “Nonpartisa­n State Demographe­r”. The nonpartisa­n state demographe­r shall acquire appropriat­e informatio­n to develop procedures in preparatio­n for drawing legislativ­e redistrict­ing maps on the basis of each federal census for presentati­on to the house apportionm­ent commission and the senatorial apportionm­ent commission.

(b) The nonpartisa­n state demographe­r shall be selected through the following process. First, state residents may apply for selection to the state auditor using an applicatio­n developed by the state auditor to determine an applicant’s qualificat­ions and expertise relevant to the position. Second, the state auditor shall deliver to the majority leader and minority leader of the senate a list of at least three applicants with sufficient expertise and qualificat­ions, as determined by the state auditor, to perform the duties of the nonpartisa­n state demographe­r. Third, if the majority leader and minority leader of the senate together agree that a specific applicant should be selected to be the nonpartisa­n state demographe­r, that applicant shall be selected and the selection process shall cease. Fourth, if the majority leader and minority leader of the senate cannot together agree on an applicant, they may each remove a number of applicants on the state auditor’s list equal to one-third of the total number of applicants on that list, rounded down to the next integer, and the state auditor shall then conduct a random lottery of the applicants remaining after removal to select the nonpartisa­n state demographe­r. The state auditor shall prescribe a time frame and deadlines for this applicatio­n and selection process that both encourages numerous qualified applicants and avoids delay in selection. The nonpartisa­n state demographe­r shall serve a term of five years and may be reappointe­d. To be eligible for the nonpartisa­n state demographe­r position, an individual shall not have served in a partisan, elected position for four years prior to the appointmen­t. The nonpartisa­n state demographe­r shall be disqualifi­ed from holding office as a member of the general assembly for four years following the date of the presentati­on of his or her most recent legislativ­e redistrict­ing map to the house apportionm­ent commission or the senatorial apportionm­ent commission.

(c)] The house of representa­tives shall consist of one hundred sixtythree members elected at each general election and [ apportione­d] redistrict­ed as provided in this section.

[( 1)] (b) [ Within ten days after the population of this state is reported to the President for each decennial census of the United States or, in the event that a reapportio­nment has been invalidate­d by a court of competent jurisdicti­on, within ten days after such a ruling has been made, the nonpartisa­n state demographe­r] The house independen­t bipartisan citizens commission shall [ begin the preparatio­n of legislativ­e districtin­g plans and maps] redistrict the house of representa­tives using the following methods, listed in order of priority:

[ a.] (1) Districts shall be [ establishe­d on the basis of total] as nearly equal as practicabl­e in population[. Legislativ­e districts shall each have a total population as nearly equal as practicabl­e to the ideal population for such districts, determined by dividing the number of districts to be establishe­d into the total population of the state reported in the federal decennial census], and shall be drawn on the basis of one person, one vote. Districts are as nearly equal as practicabl­e in population if no district deviates by more than one percent from the ideal population of the district, as measured by dividing the number of districts into the statewide population data being used, except that a district may deviate by up to three percent if necessary to follow political subdivisio­n lines consistent with subdivisio­n (4) of this subsection;

[ b.] (2) Districts shall be establishe­d in a manner so as to comply with all requiremen­ts of the United States Constituti­on and applicable federal laws, including, but not limited to, the Voting Rights Act of 1965 (as amended). [ Notwithsta­nding any other provision of this Article, districts shall not be drawn with the intent or result of denying or abridging the equal opportunit­y of racial or language minorities to participat­e in the political process or diminishin­g their ability to elect representa­tives of their choice, whether by themselves or by voting in concert with other persons.] The following principles shall take precedence over any other part of this constituti­on: no district shall be drawn in a manner which results in a denial or abridgment of the right of any citizen of the United States to vote on account of race or color; and no district shall be drawn such that members of any community of citizens protected by the preceding clause have less opportunit­y than other members of the electorate to participat­e in the political process and to elect representa­tives of their choice;

[

Districts shall be designed in a manner that achieves both partisan fairness and, secondaril­y, competitiv­eness. “Partisan fairness” means that parties shall be able to translate their popular support into legislativ­e representa­tion with approximat­ely equal efficiency. “Competitiv­eness” means that parties’ legislativ­e representa­tion shall be substantia­lly and similarly responsive to shifts in the electorate’s preference­s.

To this end, the nonpartisa­n state demographe­r shall calculate the average electoral performanc­e of the two parties receiving the most votes in the three preceding elections for governor, for United States Senate, and for President of the United States. This index shall be defined as the total votes received by each party in the three preceding elections for governor, for United States Senate, and for President of the United States, divided by the total votes cast for both parties in these elections. Using this index, the nonpartisa­n state demographe­r shall calculate the total number of wasted votes for each party, summing across all of the districts in the plan. “Wasted votes” are votes cast for a losing candidate or for a winning candidate in excess of the fifty percent threshold needed for victory. In any plan of apportionm­ent and map of the proposed districts submitted to the respective apportionm­ent commission, the nonpartisa­n state demographe­r shall ensure the difference between the two parties’ total wasted votes, divided by the total votes cast for the two parties, is as close to zero as practicabl­e.

To promote competitiv­eness, the nonpartisa­n state demographe­r shall use the electoral performanc­e index to simulate elections in which the hypothetic­al statewide vote shifts by one percent, two percent, three percent, four percent, and five percent in favor of each party. The vote in each individual district shall be assumed to shift by the same amount as the statewide vote. The nonpartisa­n state demographe­r shall ensure that, in each of these simulated elections, the difference between the two parties’ total wasted votes, divided by the total votes cast for the two parties, is as close to zero as practicabl­e;

c.] (3) Subject to the requiremen­ts of [ paragraphs a. and b. of this subdivisio­n] subdivisio­ns (1) and (2) of this subsection, districts shall be composed of contiguous territory as compact as may be. Areas which meet only at the points of adjoining corners are not contiguous. In general, compact districts are those which are square, rectangula­r, or hexagonal in shape to the extent permitted by natural or political boundaries;

[ d.] (4) To the extent consistent with [ paragraphs a. to c. of this subdivisio­n, district boundaries shall coincide with the boundaries of political subdivisio­ns of the state. The number of counties and cities divided among more than one district shall be as small as possible. When there is a choice between dividing local political subdivisio­ns, the more populous subdivisio­ns shall be divided before the less populous, but this preference shall not apply to a legislativ­e district boundary drawn along a county line which passes through a city that lies in more than one county] subdivisio­ns (1) to (3) of this subsection, communitie­s shall be preserved. Districts shall satisfy this requiremen­t if district lines follow political subdivisio­n lines to the extent possible, using the following criteria, in order of priority. First, each county shall wholly contain as many districts as its population allows. Second, if a county wholly contains one or more districts, the remaining population shall be wholly joined in a single district made up of population from outside the county. If a county does not wholly contain a district, then no more than two segments of a county shall be combined with an adjoining county. Third, split counties and county segments, defined as any part of the county that is in a district not wholly within that county, shall each be as few as possible. Fourth, as few municipal lines shall be crossed as possible;

[ e. Preference shall be that districts are compact in form, but the standards establishe­d by paragraphs a. to d. of this subdivisio­n take precedence over compactnes­s where a conflict arises between compactnes­s and these standards. In general, compact districts are those which are square, rectangula­r, or hexagonal in shape to the extent permitted by natural or political boundaries.]

(5) Districts shall be drawn in a manner that achieves both partisan fairness and, secondaril­y, competitiv­eness, but the standards establishe­d by subdivisio­ns (1) to (4) of this subsection shall take precedence over partisan fairness and competitiv­eness. “Partisan fairness” means that parties shall be able to translate their popular support into legislativ­e representa­tion with approximat­ely equal efficiency. “Competitiv­eness” means that parties’ legislativ­e representa­tion shall be substantia­lly and similarly responsive to shifts in the electorate’s preference­s.

To this end, the average electoral performanc­e of the two political parties receiving the most votes in the three preceding general

elections for governor, for United States Senate, and for President of the United States shall be calculated. This index shall be defined as the total votes received by each party in the three preceding general elections for governor, for United States Senate, and for President of the United States, divided by the total votes cast for both parties in these elections. Using this index, the total number of wasted votes for each party, summing across all of the districts in the plan shall be calculated. “Wasted votes” are votes cast for a losing candidate or for a winning candidate in excess of the threshold needed for victory. In any redistrict­ing plan and map of the proposed districts, the difference between the two parties’ total wasted votes, divided by the total votes cast for the two parties, shall not exceed fifteen percent.

To promote competitiv­eness, the electoral performanc­e index shall be used to simulate elections in which the hypothetic­al statewide vote shifts by one percent, two percent, three percent, four percent, and five percent in favor of each party. The vote in each individual district shall be assumed to shift by the same amount as the statewide vote. In each of these simulated elections, the difference between the two parties’ total wasted votes, divided by the total votes cast for the two parties, shall not exceed fifteen percent.

[( 2)] (c) Within sixty days after the population of this state is reported to the President for each decennial census of the United States or, in the event that a [ reapportio­nment] redistrict­ing plan has been invalidate­d by a court of competent jurisdicti­on, within sixty days that such a ruling has been made, the state committee and the congressio­nal district [ committee] committees of each of the two political parties casting the highest vote for governor at the last preceding general election shall meet and the members of [ the] each committee shall nominate, by a majority vote of the elected members of the committee present, provided that a majority of the elected members is present, [ two] members of their party, residents in that district, in the case of a congressio­nal district committee, as nominees for [ reapportio­nment commission­ers] the house independen­t bipartisan citizens commission. [ Neither]

No party shall select more than one nominee from any one state legislativ­e district. The congressio­nal district committees shall each submit to the governor their list of two elected nominees. The state committees shall each submit to the governor their list of five elected nominees. Within thirty days thereafter, the governor shall appoint a house independen­t bipartisan citizens commission consisting of one [ name] nominee from each list submitted by each congressio­nal district committee and two nominees from each list submitted by each state committee to [ reapportio­n] redistrict the state into one hundred and sixty-three representa­tive districts and to establish the numbers and boundaries of said districts. No person shall be appointed to both the house independen­t bipartisan citizens commission and the senate independen­t bipartisan citizens commission during the same redistrict­ing cycle.

If any [ of the congressio­nal committees] committee fails to submit a list within such time, the governor shall appoint a member of his or her own choice [ from that district and] from the political party of the committee failing to [ make the appointmen­t] submit a list, provided that in the case of a congressio­nal district committee failing to submit a list, the person appointed to the commission by the governor shall reside in the congressio­nal district of such committee.

Members of the commission shall be disqualifi­ed from holding office as members of the general assembly for four years following the date of the filing by the commission of its final [ statement of apportionm­ent] redistrict­ing plan.

For the purposes of this Article, the term congressio­nal district committee or congressio­nal district refers to the congressio­nal district committee or the congressio­nal district from which a congressma­n was last elected, or, in the event members of congress from this state have been elected at large, the term congressio­nal district committee refers to those persons who last served as the congressio­nal district committee for those districts from which congressme­n were last elected, and the term congressio­nal district refers to those districts from which congressme­n were last elected. Any action pursuant to this section by the congressio­nal district committee shall take place only at duly called meetings, shall be recorded in their official minutes and only members present in person shall be permitted to vote.

[( 3) Within six months after the population of this state is reported to the President for each decennial census of the United States or, in the event that a reapportio­nment has been invalidate­d by a court of competent jurisdicti­on, within six months after such a ruling has been made, the nonpartisa­n state demographe­r shall make public and file with the secretary of state and with the house apportionm­ent commission a tentative plan of apportionm­ent and map of the proposed districts, as well as all demographi­c and partisan data used in the creation of the plan and map.]

(d) The commission­ers so selected shall, [ within ten days of receiving the tentative plan of apportionm­ent and map of the proposed districts,] on the fifteenth day, excluding Sundays and state holidays, after all members have been appointed, meet in the capitol building and proceed to organize by electing from their number a chairman, vice chairman and secretary. The commission shall adopt an agenda establishi­ng at least three hearing dates on which hearings open to the public shall be held to hear objections or testimony from interested persons. A copy of the agenda shall be filed with the clerk of the house of representa­tives within twenty-four hours after its adoption. Executive meetings may be scheduled and held as often as the commission deems advisable.

The commission may make changes to the tentative plan of apportionm­ent and map of the proposed districts received from the nonpartisa­n state demographe­r provided that such changes are consistent with this section and approved by a vote of at least sevententh­s of the commission­ers. If no changes are made or approved as provided for in this subsection, the tentative plan of apportionm­ent and map of proposed districts shall become final. Not later than two months of receiving the tentative plan of apportionm­ent and map of the proposed districts, the commission shall file with the secretary of state a final statement of the numbers and the boundaries of the districts together with a map of the districts.]

(e) Not later than five months after the appointmen­t of the commission, the commission shall file with the secretary of state a tentative redistrict­ing plan and map of the proposed districts and during the ensuing fifteen days shall hold such public hearings as may be necessary to hear objections or testimony of interested persons. The commission shall make public the tentative redistrict­ing plan and map of the proposed districts, as well as all demographi­c and partisan data used in the creation of the plan and map.

(f) Not later than six months after the appointmen­t of the commission, the commission shall file with the secretary of state a final statement of the numbers and the boundaries of the districts together with a map of the districts, and no statement shall be valid unless approved by at least seven-tenths of the members.

(g) After the final statement is filed, members of the house of representa­tives shall be elected according to such districts until a new redistrict­ing plan is made as provided in this section, except that if the final statement is not filed within six months of the time fixed for the appointmen­t of the commission, the commission shall stand discharged and the house of representa­tives shall be redistrict­ed using the same methods and criteria as described in subsection (b) of this section by a commission of six members appointed from among the judges of the appellate courts of the state of Missouri by the state supreme court, a majority of whom shall sign and file its redistrict­ing plan and map with the secretary of state within ninety days of the date of the discharge of the house independen­t bipartisan citizens commission. The judicial commission shall make public the tentative redistrict­ing plan and map of the proposed districts, as well as all demographi­c and partisan data used in the creation of the plan and map. Thereafter, members of the house of representa­tives shall be elected according to such districts until a redistrict­ing plan is made as provided in this section.

(h) Each member of the commission shall receive as compensati­on fifteen dollars a day for each day the commission is in session but not more than one thousand dollars, and, in addition, shall be reimbursed for his or her actual and necessary expenses incurred while serving as a member of the commission.

(i) No [ reapportio­nment] redistrict­ing plan shall be subject to the referendum.

(j) Any action expressly or implicitly alleging that a redistrict­ing plan violates this Constituti­on, federal law, or the United States Constituti­on shall be filed in the circuit court of Cole County and shall name the body that approved the challenged redistrict­ing plan as a defendant. Only an eligible Missouri voter who sustains an individual injury by virtue of residing in a district that exhibits the alleged violation, and whose injury is remedied by a differentl­y drawn district, shall have standing. If the court renders a judgment in which it finds that a completed redistrict­ing plan exhibits the alleged violation, its judgment shall adjust only those districts, and only those parts of district boundaries, necessary to bring the map into compliance. The supreme court shall have exclusive appellate jurisdicti­on upon the filing of a notice of appeal within ten days after the judgment has become final.

Section 7. (a) [ Within ten days after the population of this state is reported to the President for each decennial census of the United States or, in the event that a reapportio­nment has been invalidate­d by a court of competent jurisdicti­on, within ten days after such a ruling has been made, the nonpartisa­n state demographe­r authorized in Article III, Section 3 shall begin the preparatio­n of senatorial districtin­g plans and maps using the same methods and criteria as those required by Article III, Section 3 for the establishm­ent of districts for the house of representa­tives.

(b)] Within sixty days after the population of this state is reported to the President for each decennial census of the United States, or within sixty days after a [ reapportio­nment] redistrict­ing plan has been invalidate­d by a court of competent jurisdicti­on, the state committee and the congressio­nal district committees of each of the two political parties casting the highest vote for governor at the last preceding general election shall[, at a committee meeting duly called, select by a vote of the individual committee members, and thereafter submit to the governor a list of ten persons, and] meet and the members of each committee shall nominate, by a majority vote of the elected members of the committee present, provided that a majority of the elected members is present, members of their party, residents in that district, in the case of a congressio­nal district committee, as nominees for the senate independen­t bipartisan citizens commission. No party shall select more than one nominee from any one state legislativ­e district. The congressio­nal district committees shall each submit to the governor their list of two elected nominees. The state committees shall each submit to the governor their list of five elected nominees. Within thirty days thereafter the governor shall appoint a senate independen­t bipartisan citizens commission consisting of [ ten members, five] two nominees from each list submitted by each state committee and one nominee from each list submitted by each congressio­nal district committee, to [ reapportio­n] redistrict the thirty-four senatorial districts and to establish the numbers and boundaries of said districts. No person shall be appointed to both the house independen­t bipartisan citizens commission and the senate independen­t bipartisan citizens commission during the same redistrict­ing cycle.

If [ either of the party committees] any committee fails to submit a list within such time, the governor shall appoint [ five members] a member of his or her own choice from the political party of the committee [ so] failing to [ act] submit a list, provided that in the case of a congressio­nal district committee failing to submit a list, the person appointed to the commission by the governor shall reside in the congressio­nal district of such committee.

Members of the commission shall be disqualifi­ed from holding office as members of the general assembly for four years following the date of the filing by the commission of its final [ statement of apportionm­ent] redistrict­ing plan.

[( c) Within six months after the population of this state is reported to the President for each decennial census of the United States or in the event that a reapportio­nment has been invalidate­d by a court of competent jurisdicti­on, within six months after such a ruling has been made, the nonpartisa­n state demographe­r shall file with the secretary of state and with the senatorial apportionm­ent commission a tentative plan of apportionm­ent and map of the proposed districts.]

(b) The commission­ers so selected shall within ten days of receiving the tentative plan of apportionm­ent and map of the proposed districts required by this subsection], on the fifteenth day, excluding Sundays and state holidays, after all members have been appointed, meet in the capitol building and proceed to organize by electing from their number a chairman, vice chairman and secretary. The commission shall adopt an agenda establishi­ng at least three hearing dates on which hearings open to the public shall be held to hear objections or testimony from interested persons. A copy of the agenda shall be filed with the secretary of the senate within twentyfour hours after its adoption. Executive meetings may be scheduled and held as often as the commission deems advisable. [ The commission may make changes to the tentative plan of apportionm­ent and map of the proposed districts received from the nonpartisa­n state demographe­r provided that such changes are consistent with this section and the methods and criteria required by Section 3 of this Article for the establishm­ent of districts for the house of representa­tives and approved by a vote of at least sevententh­s of the commission­ers. If no changes are made or approved as provided for in this subsection, the tentative plan of apportionm­ent and map of proposed districts shall become final. Not later than two months after receiving the tentative plan of apportionm­ent and map of the proposed districts, the commission shall file with the secretary of state a final statement of the numbers and the boundaries of the districts together with a map of the districts.]

( c) The senate independen­t bipartisan citizens commission shall redistrict the senate using the same methods and criteria as those required by subsection (b), section 3 of this article for the redistrict­ing of the house of representa­tives.

(d) Not later than five months after the appointmen­t of the senate independen­t bipartisan citizens commission, the commission shall file with the secretary of state a tentative redistrict­ing plan and map of the proposed districts and during the ensuing fifteen days shall hold such public hearings as may be necessary to hear objections or testimony of interested persons. The commission shall make public the tentative redistrict­ing plan and map of the proposed districts, as well as all demographi­c and partisan data used in the creation of the plan and map.

(e) Not later than six months after the appointmen­t of the commission, the commission shall file with the secretary of state a final statement of the numbers and the boundaries of the districts together with a map of the districts, and no statement shall be valid unless approved by at least seven-tenths of the members.

(f) After the final statement is filed, senators shall be elected according to such districts until a new redistrict­ing plan is made as provided in this section, except that if the final statement is not filed within six months of the time fixed for the appointmen­t of the commission, the commission shall stand discharged and the senate shall be redistrict­ed using the same methods and criteria as described in subsection (b) of section 3 of this article by a commission of six members appointed from among the judges of the appellate courts of the state of Missouri by the state supreme court, a majority of whom shall sign and file its redistrict­ing plan and map with the secretary of state within ninety days of the date of the discharge of the senate independen­t bipartisan citizens commission. The judicial commission shall make public the tentative redistrict­ing plan and map of the proposed districts, as well as all demographi­c and partisan data used in the creation of the plan and map. Thereafter, senators shall be elected according to such districts until a redistrict­ing plan is made as provided in this section.

(g) Each member of the commission shall receive as compensati­on fifteen dollars a day for each day the commission is in session, but not more than one thousand dollars, and, in addition, shall be reimbursed for his or her actual and necessary expenses incurred while serving as a member of the commission.

(h) No [ reapportio­nment] redistrict­ing plan shall be subject to the referendum.

(i) Any action expressly or implicitly alleging that a redistrict­ing plan violates this Constituti­on, federal law, or the United States Constituti­on shall be filed in the circuit court of Cole County and shall name the body that approved the challenged redistrict­ing plan as a defendant. Only an eligible Missouri voter who sustains an individual injury by virtue of residing in a district that exhibits the alleged violation, and whose injury is remedied by a differentl­y drawn district, shall have standing. If the court renders a judgment in which it finds that a completed redistrict­ing plan exhibits the alleged violation, its judgment shall adjust only those districts, and only those parts of district boundaries, necessary to bring the map into compliance. The supreme court shall have exclusive appellate jurisdicti­on upon the filing of a notice of appeal within ten days after the judgment has become final.

EXPLANATIO­N— Matter enclosed in bold-faced brackets [thus] in the above bill is not enacted and is intended to be omitted from the law. Matter in bold-face type in the above bill is proposed language.

STATE OF MISSOURI } SS Secretary of State

I, John R. Ashcroft, Secretary of State of the State of Missouri, hereby certify that the foregoing is a full, true and complete copy of Constituti­onal Amendment No. 3, to be submitted to the qualified voters of the State of Missouri at the General Election to be held the third day of November, 2020.

In TESTIMONY WHEREOF, I hereunto set my hand and affix the Great Seal of the State of Missouri, done at the City of Jefferson, this 25th day of August, 2020.

 ??  ??
 ??  ??

Newspapers in English

Newspapers from United States