Southeast Missouri lawmaker proposes changes on how constitutional amendments are approved

A veteran southeast Missouri lawmaker wants to change the threshold to approve constitutional amendments in the Show-Me State.

Passage currently requires a simple majority of voters statewide.

State Rep. Andrew McDaniel (R-Deering) will testify Wednesday at noon before the House Elections and Elected Officials Committee in Jefferson City.

His two-page House Joint Resolution 130 would still require a simple majority statewide. But it also would require approval of a majority of voters in more than half of Missouri’s 163 House districts.

Some rural Republican lawmakers have noted that while Medicaid expansion was approved by Missouri voters statewide, the measure failed in most counties. 53 percent of Missouri voters approved Amendment Two in August, but it failed in 105 of the state’s 114 counties.

Legislative opponents of similar measures support the current system, saying the voters spoke on Medicaid expansion.

If lawmakers approve McDaniel’s idea, the issue would be placed on Missouri’s November ballot.