SJR 23 - This constitutional amendment, if adopted by the voters, makes several modifications to Article III, regulating the General Assembly. COOLING OFF PERIOD (Section 2(a))
Currently, no member of the General Assembly or person employed by the General Assembly may act, serve, or register as a paid lobbyist until two calendar years after the conclusion of the session of the General Assembly in which the person last served. This amendment changes that period to four calendar years.
GIFT BAN (Section 2(b))
Current law allows a member of the General Assembly or person employed by the General Assembly to receive a gift of no more than $5 per occurrence from a lobbyist or lobbyist principal. This amendment prohibits all gifts from lobbyists or lobbyist principals to state senators, state representatives, and persons employed by the Senate or House of Representatives.
REDISTRICTING (Sections 3 and 7)
Under current law, the nonpartisan state demographer is responsible for preparing new plans of apportionment for the House of Representatives and the Senate. This amendment repeals the position of nonpartisan state demographer and gives authority for apportioning the House of Representatives to the Independent Citizens House Redistricting Commission. The Independent Citizens Senate Redistricting Commission is responsible for apportioning the Senate.
The order of priority for the criteria that is to be used for apportioning the House of Representatives and Senate is modified as follows:
1. Districts are required to be established on the basis of total population.
2. Each district must 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. In the case of Senate districts, county lines shall not be crossed except when necessary, as described in the amendment.
3. Districts must consist of contiguous territory.
4. Districts must, to the extent possible, keep together communities of interest, including but not limited to cities and counties.
5. Districts must be established in a manner that complies with all requirements of federal law, specifically including the Voting Rights Act of 1965. Furthermore, districts shall not be established with the intent or result of denying or abridging the equal opportunity of racial or language minorities to participate in the political process.
6. Districts must be apportioned to achieve partisan fairness and competitiveness.
Provisions are repealed regulating the manner in which "wasted votes" and competitiveness are to be simulated.
The amendment prohibits any person related to a member of either commission within the fourth degree by blood or marriage from serving in the General Assembly for four years after new districts are established.
OPEN RECORDS (Section 19)
Current law requires all legislative records to be subject to the Sunshine Law. This amendment allows any legislative record that contains personally identifiable information of a Missouri resident to be closed.
This resolution is substantially similar to HJR 47 (2019).
SCOTT SVAGERA