General Discussion

JEFFERSON CITY — Last November, 62 percent of Missourians voted to pass Amendment 1, the “Clean Missouri” proposal that included measures to limit the power of lobbyists, reduce campaign finance contributions and create a new redistricting process.

Now, lawmakers are moving to change or completely roll back parts of Clean Missouri, with a focus on redistricting.

Right before the filing deadline for legislation earlier this month, five resolutions were proposed between the Missouri House and the Senate, all of which relate to changing or repealing the redistricting measures enacted from Amendment 1, as well as lobbying and open records measures. All of them propose new constitutional amendments, which would send the issue back to voters to decide.

Clean Missouri issued a statement in response to the resolutions’ filing, condemning them and asserting that the decision of the voters should remain in place.

“In November 2018, Missourians overwhelmingly supported a new, fair redistricting process that took away the influence of lobbyists and insiders when crafting new maps,” the statement said. “Voters enacted a new system with checks and balances to create districts where candidates will actually have to earn their votes, and to ensure that no political party gets an unfair advantage in any new maps.”

The statement also provided quotes from several individuals, including one former Republican lawmaker from Lee’s Summit, Bob Johnson.

“Their mandate from more than 1.4 million Missourians was clear: fair and competitive maps,” he said in the statement.

... snip...

The final resolution, HJR 57, proposed by Rep. Jeff Pogue, R-Salem, repeals Amendment 1 in its entirety.