Matthew Sanders
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)
House Republicans signaled Monday that they’re willing to set a higher bar for measures to make the statewide ballot in Missouri and to redraw the state’s congressional map.
The House voted 96-55 on a bill to reform the state’s initiative petition process, by which citizens can get questions onto the ballot. Hours later, the House approved the new congressional map, 89-63. A final vote could take place on Tuesday.
The vote on initiative petition reform followed more than an hour of debate during which Democrats argued the new bar for passage — approval from a majority of voters statewide and in each of the state’s eight congressional districts — is unreasonably high.
The bill includes an amendment sponsored by Rep. Ed Lewis (R-Moberly) that bars foreign spending on initiative petition elections.
The bill would put a question on the November ballot to reform the initiative petition process.
Lawmakers moved on after the vote to debate a new congressional map.
Debate over redistricting
The battle over redistricting also erupted in the Missouri House on Thursday as lawmakers debated for hours over a new congressional map that would likely give Republicans a 7-1 advantage in the U.S. House of Representatives.
The proposed “Missouri First” map, backed by Republican Gov. Mike Kehoe, would split Kansas City’s Fifth District, currently represented by Democratic Rep. Emanuel Cleaver, into three districts. Republicans say the new lines better reflect the state’s values, while Democrats argue the plan would dilute minority voting power.
“There is nothing that has happened that would justify doing this other than the desire for pure undistilled power,” Cleaver said. “The city is now going to have three different members of Congress representing it, and that just dilutes the voters, particularly on the West side, where we have primarily a Hispanic community, and on the east side, the Black community.”
Republicans defended the map during the heated debate on the House Floor. Questions arose over who drew the map. The bill’s sponsor, Rep. Drik Deaton (R-McDonald), said the map came directly from the governor’s office.
“Constituents have said it loud and clear that they fear for their children’s future because of insane policies of the left, and that is the real reason we’re here,” said Rep. Justin Sparks, a Republican from St. Louis County.
Rep. John Martin (R-Boone County), said he supports the former president’s political agenda and believes the new map will be beneficial for the state.
“I support Donald Trump. I support his America First agenda. I believe what he’s trying to do is improving every aspect of American lives,” Martin said. “I think it’s very important practically to give as many Missourians the opportunity to put a Missouri first and America first type of agenda in place, because I think these are the type of principles that actually will improve our state.”
However, Democrats argued that the new map is designed solely to protect President Donald Trump.
“If he loses the House, that’s where inspections and where they investigate crimes. Unconstitutional crimes. And this bill, or redistricting, is designed to protect himself,” Rep. Adrian Plank (D-Boone County) said.
Other Democrats feared taking political power away from Black communities in Kansas City.
“A thousand years from now, people are going to look back at this moment,” Rep. David Tyson Smith (D-Boone County) said. “Now is the time our republic is at stake, our democracy is at stake and I call my colleagues to do the right thing. This is wrong and it’s immoral.”
The measure is expected to pass the Republican-led chamber. A final House vote, along with a separate measure to reform the state’s initiative petition process, is expected Tuesday before both bills head to the Senate.
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