By Dale Wright
Legislation designed to protect the sanctity of the Missouri Constitution is moving quickly through the legislative process and is now on track for discussion on the House floor. As early as next week the House will consider a constitutional amendment that would allow voters to change the initiative petition process.
It’s important that we protect the rights of Missouri citizens to make their voices heard while also preventing our initiative petition process from being abused by out-of-state money that has no ties to our state and no interest in working on behalf of Missouri families.
Our constitution is a sacred, foundational document that should be treated with respect and amended only when absolutely necessary. By implementing commonsense reforms, we can continue to give Missourians a voice and minimize the influence of special interests from outside our state.
This past week HJR 43 was approved by the House Committee on Elections and Elected Officials. If approved by the legislature and voters, the proposed constitutional amendment would change the threshold required to approve changes to our state’s constitution. Currently, changes to our constitution require only a simple majority for approval. HJR 43 would raise the threshold to 60 percent voter approval for passage.
The constitution is a living document and should not be ever-expanding over non-essential issues. We have one of the largest state constitutions in the entire country because we keep adding to it. Forces outside of the Show-Me State play a significant role in these additions.
Our current state constitution was written in 1945 and it has changed more than 60 times. In comparison, the United States Constitution has been amended 17 times since 1791and it takes 38 states to ratify an amendment.
Missouri is currently one of only 18 states to allow initiative petitions for a constitutional change and has one of the easiest processes in the country for amending the constitution. That is why when outside forces want to launch a national initiative they like to begin in Missouri.
HJR 43 was approved by the House Elections and Elected Officials Committee by a vote of 11- 5. It now moves to a House Rules Committee, which must approve the bill before it moves to the full floor for discussion. The committee also passed three other proposed constitutional amendments (HJR 30, HJR 24, and HJR 25) which would modify the requirements to approve constitutional amendments.
Committees Focus on Suicide Prevention Efforts
Two House committees met this week to discuss ways to reduce suicides in Missouri, particularly among our veterans.
The House Veterans Committee took testimony on HB 132, which will task the Missouri Veterans Commission with expanding its efforts to prevent veteran suicides. The House Health and Mental Health Policy Committee received a report issued by the Interim Committee on Veterans’ Mental Health and Suicide and discussed suicide prevention methods with a focus on the importance of the recently established 988 hotline.
The sponsor of HB 132, who also chairs the House Veterans Committee and chaired the interim committee, spoke to both committees about the importance of his bill, which would give guidance to the Missouri Veterans Commission about how to use the data it collects on veteran suicides. The bill will also require the commission to report annually to the legislature on that data and what it’s doing to reduce the number of those incidents.
Where we rank in the country is not good. Missouri is fifth among the states with the most veteran suicides.
Even though the bill hasn’t been passed into law, the commission is already doing much of what it will require. Their heart is in the right place. They get it and they’re dealing with it.
For someone that has suicide ideation, it is critical for them to be able to step forward and say, “I need help!” – which is one of the hardest things for them to do. When they do, they need to have someone who will be there to listen to them and hear what they’ve got to say.
Governor Parson Establishes Plan on Aging
Governor Mike Parson recently signed an executive order to establish a Master Plan on Aging. The plan is designed to help reduce age and disability discrimination, eliminate barriers to safe and healthy aging, and help Missourians to age with dignity. There are currently more than 1.1 million Missouri citizens over the age of 60. Estimates suggest that older adults will outnumber minors for the first time by 2030 and older adults will greatly outnumber minors by 2060.
Older Missourians have worked hard, paid their dues, and have helped teach and guide the next generations of Missourians. They deserve to enjoy their golden years with dignity and respect. That is why the Master Plan on Aging is being developed over a 10-year framework that provides a guiding vision for policies and programs to support our senior communities.
The Executive Order calls on the Department of Health and Senior Services, with the assistance of a new Advisory Council, to develop a Master Plan on Aging for the State of Missouri that addresses the needs and health outcomes for older adults and individuals with disabilities. The department is being tasked with finalizing the Master Plan on Aging by December 31, 2025, and then releasing a public report.
Governor Parson’s administration is working to support all citizens as they age to ensure older adults and individuals with disabilities live as safely and independently as possible, in the environment of their choice while fully participating in their community. The goal is to prioritize job creation, strong wages, and competitive markets for all Missourians. Now Missouri needs to prepare for a restructured workforce that can include and serve older adults across the state as well.
