Proposed constitutional amendments

The following proposals pending in the Missouri Legislature would change one or more aspects of the relationship between voters and their government or between branches of government.

• HJR 1: State courts may not order state or local governments to levy or increase taxes. Courts may not issue orders directing state or local governments on how to spend, allocate or budget revenue. Passed House; Senate hearing scheduled for Monday.
• HJR 2: Reduces size of the Missouri House from 163 to 137 members beginning in 2012. No hearing scheduled.
• HJR 4: Requires a 60 percent majority vote to approve constitutional amendments. Hearing held, no committee vote yet recorded.
• HJR 5: Doubles the number of signatures needed to place constitutional amendment on the ballot by initiative. Triples the number of signatures needed to place statutory change on ballot by initiative. Hearing held, no committee vote recorded.
• HJR 12: Requires all impeachment proceedings to be tried in the Missouri Senate rather than the Supreme Court. Hearing held, no committee vote recorded.
• HJR 14: Establishes term limits for attorney general and state auditor. No hearing scheduled.
• HJR 15: Limits nonpartisan judges to eight years in office. Requires nominees to the Missouri Supreme Court be confirmed by the Missouri Senate. No hearing scheduled.
• HJR 18: Requires a two-thirds majority vote to approve constitutional amendments. Bars initiative petitions gathered by paid signature-gatherers. Hearing held, no committee vote recorded.
• HJR 27: Legislative and congressional districts to be drawn by state demographer without respect to party affiliation of voters, home addresses of current officeholders. No hearing scheduled.
• SJR 11: Requires a two-thirds majority vote to approve constitutional amendments. Hearing scheduled for Monday.
• SJR 15: Increases term limits from eight to 12 years. Hearing scheduled for Monday.
• SJR 21: Increases term limits from eight to 12 years, does not count prior service. Reduces the Missouri House from 163 to 101 members beginning in 2012. No hearing scheduled.
• SJR 28: Requires photo identification to vote in elections. No hearing scheduled.

For more information, go to www.house.mo.gov for the Missouri House of Representatives or www.senate.mo.gov for the Missouri Senate.