MISSOURI — After advancing HJR 43, which Rep. Perkins supported, he said, “This is a much needed piece of legislation that will help ensure that there is a consensus among Missourians pertaining to amending the Missouri Constitution. I like this resolution, because it does not increase the difficulty of getting measures on the ballot, it simply raises the threshold which constitutional amendments must meet to pass. In this case, this resolution raises the threshold from a simple majority to sixty percent.” Perkins added, “Missouri has one of the longest constitutions in the United States, and this is a direct result of our flawed IP process. This becomes an issue because moneyed outside groups, which potentially do not have the best interests of Missourians in mind, are able to come in and amend our constitution with the support of only urban areas of the state. Rural Missouri needs to be properly represented in these issues and will be with this resolution.” Perkins concluded, “My constituents demand that the legislature take action to correct this, and we are doing just that.”

Members of the Missouri House this week approved a proposed change to the constitution that would allow voters to decide if the state should raise the threshold to modify the constitution in the future. The House approved HJR 43 by a vote of 108-50.

The key component of HJR 43 would change the threshold required to approve changes to the state constitution. Currently, changes to the constitution require only a simple majority for approval. If approved by the legislature and voters, HJR 43 would raise the threshold to 60 percent voter approval for passage.

Supporters of the measure say it will protect what they view as a sacred document that should only be amended when absolutely necessary. They point out the current version of the Missouri Constitution has changed more than 60 times since it was written in 1945. In comparison, the United States Constitution has been amended only 17 times since 1791.

Proponents also say the increased threshold will help minimize the influence of out-of-state groups that have no ties to Missouri but spend millions of dollars to change the state constitution. The sponsor of HJR 43 said the groups “try to reimagine Missouri in their vision.” He said, “I think it should be in the vision of the people of the state of Missouri.”

The legislation also requires that voters in each congressional district have the opportunity to review and comment upon all initiative petitions proposing amendments to the constitution. The secretary of state would administer the public forums, which would take place at least 15 days before the measure appears on the ballot.

The sponsor said “This would require that you go into all eight and give people a chance to have their voice heard and submit testimony. We’re trying to give them a greater voice and give them a chance also to find out everything that’s in that.”

Another portion of HJR 43 would clarify that only citizens of the United States of America who are residents of the State of Missouri and who are properly registered to vote in the State of Missouri will be considered legal voters.

Supporters said the goal is to protect the voices of registered Missouri voters in every part of the state, and that ultimately voters will decide if the change is a good idea.

HB 430 (Perkins) Passes out of Committee

Rep. Perkins is pleased to announce that his bill concerning the foreign ownership of land will be headed to the House Floor soon. “I’m proud that today HB 430 passed out of committee with no opposition. This unanimity clearly demonstrates the bipartisan nature of this bill and its importance to not only rural areas, but to all Missourians.” Perkins continued, “This bill specifically bans Russia, China, Iran, North Korea, and Venezuela from owning agricultural land. It also gives us the flexibility to adjust that list as necessary to accommodate changes in the geopolitical landscape.”

New Website Launched to Help Prevent Suicide among Service Members, Veterans, and Their Families

Veterans, service members, and their families now have a website they can access that is designed to help reduce the rate of suicide in Missouri. This week, Gov. Mike Parson unveiled the new site located at www.mogovchallenge.com.

Launched by the Missouri Governor’s Challenge Team to Prevent Suicide among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families, the site provides general information on the team’s projects and strategic priorities, the impact suicide is having on the military community, and resources for both members of the military community and for anyone wishing to support them. The website also offers access to free online military culture and suicide prevention training through PsychArmor for health care providers, Veterans, employers, military family members, and others.

Missouri established a Governor’s Challenge team in 2021 under Parson’s leadership. The Governor’s Challenge to Prevent Suicide among Service Members, Veterans, and their Families is a non-partisan state interagency team created to collaborate, plan, and implement suicide prevention best practices and policies for service members, Veterans, and their families across the state.

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs and the U.S. Department of Health & Human Services’ Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration originally launched the Governor’s and Mayor’s Challenges to bring together leaders in community and state governments to prevent suicide among service members, Veterans, and their families.

Working on your behalf,