ballot initiative

Mo. SOS to take public comments on initiatives

Associated Press — Fri, 25 Jan 2013 22:45:15 +0000

Missouri Secretary of State Jason Kander is giving the public a chance to review potential ballot initiatives long before the petition gathering begins.

Kander said Friday that initiatives submitted to his office will be posted online, and the public will have a five-day comment period before his office drafts a summary for the measures.

Kander, a Democrat, took office Jan. 14.

Eminent domain petitions cleared for signature gathering

Associated Press — Fri, 14 Dec 2012 14:30:45 +0000

Supporters of Missouri proposals to reform laws on the use eminent domain can begin working to get their measures on the 2014 state ballot.

Mo. gov. candidates oppose court ballot measure

Associated Press — Mon, 15 Oct 2012 13:53:37 +0000

Democratic Governor Jay Nixon and Republican challenger Dave Spence both oppose a ballot measure that would give the governor greater power in picking Missouri's top judges.

A November ballot measure would change the seven-person panel that nominates judicial candidates to the governor. It would increase the number of citizens named to the panel by the governor to four instead of three, with the rest selected by an attorneys' association. It also would increase the number of judicial nominees the panel submits to the governor to four instead of three.

Mo. tobacco tax foes cite cost to cities, counties

Associated Press — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 17:05:04 +0000

Opponents of a tobacco tax initiative on the Missouri ballot say local governments could lose money if the measure passes.

The proposal would raise the state cigarette tax from 17 cents to 90 cents per pack and also increase taxes on other tobacco products.

Group of former Mo. Supreme Court judges oppose selection changes

Associated Press — Thu, 23 Aug 2012 19:56:24 +0000

Defenders of Missouri's method of selecting appellate judges are fighting a proposed constitutional amendment that would change the system.

Carnahan's ballot language draws lawsuit, partisan debate

Marshall Griffin — Wed, 11 Jul 2012 15:43:52 +0000

Missouri Lt. Governor Peter Kinder has filed a lawsuit against Secretary of State Robin Carnahan over the language used in a ballot initiative regarding health care exchanges. The Republican Lt. Governor is accusing the Democratic Secretary of State of trying to deliberately mislead voters.

Ruling could doom payday loan ballot initiative

Associated Press — Fri, 06 Apr 2012 13:27:34 +0000

A Missouri judge has dealt a setback to supporters of a ballot proposal that would limit interest rates on payday loans. Cole County Circuit Judge Dan Green ruled Thursday that the ballot summary and financial estimate for the initiative are "inadequate" and "unfair" and "likely to deceive petition signers."

Payday loans: credit option or debt trap?

Jacob Fenston — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 15:13:27 +0000

Missouri is fertile ground for payday lenders. With some of the loosest regulations in the nation, we are among the states with the most payday lending stores per capita. In this Health & Wealth report, the payday lending industry in Missouri fights for its life, as activists aim for the November ballot to try to rein in these lenders they say trap the working poor in a cycle of debt.