A Missouri court on Wednesday blocked a proposed constitutional amendment that would have added some of the nation’s strongest protections for laws passed by citizen initiative from appearing on the November ballot.
Cole County Circuit Judge Daniel Green upheld the decision of Republican Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, who had rejected the measure in July despite more than thousands of petition signatures submitted by the group Respect Missouri Voters. Hoskins argued the amendment violated the state constitution by combining multiple subjects and restricting a republican form of government.
The proposed amendment would have required 80% of lawmakers to approve any repeal or amendment of voter-backed initiatives. It also sought to prevent the legislature from increasing signature requirements, shortening collection periods, or otherwise weakening initiative rights.
Respect Missouri Voters announced plans to appeal the ruling, asserting the measure’s provisions all focused on a single purpose: protecting citizen lawmaking power. Attorney Chuck Hatfield, representing the group, contended the amendment’s language was internally consistent and did not violate constitutional prohibitions against multiple subjects.
The attorney general’s office, represented by Kathleen Hunker, countered that the amendment "fuses disparate topics" in violation of the state constitution. The office argued the measure improperly restricted legislative authority by imposing supermajority requirements on future lawmakers.
Missouri has become a focal point in national debates over direct democracy. In August, voters rejected a legislative measure that would have imposed stringent standards for passing citizen-initiated amendments. The current dispute stems from last year’s repeal of a voter-approved paid sick leave initiative and a legislative referral to the ballot seeking to reverse voter-backed abortion rights protections.
About half of U.S. states allow citizen initiatives, which enable residents to propose laws or constitutional amendments by collecting sufficient signatures. In Missouri, the secretary of state holds authority to reject measures deemed unconstitutional before they reach the ballot.
The ruling leaves the status of the proposed protections uncertain ahead of the November election. If the appeal succeeds, the measure could still appear on the ballot, but the timeline for resolution remains unclear.