Wednesday, July 11, 2012

Shane Schoeller and Ed Martin Demand Changes to Missouri's Ballot Initiative Process


On Monday, July 10th, Republican candidate for Missouri Secretary of State Shane Schoeller and fellow Republican candidate for Missouri Attorney General, Ed Martin, held a public press conference to talk about the steps they would take to ensure fair ballot language for state-wide Initiative Petitions and Referendums. Their press conference was precipitate by language handed down by Missouri Secretary of State Robin Carnahan and approved by Attorney General Chris Koster. That language distorts the intent of a November ballot measure. The ballot measure is designed to prevent the governor and state agencies from implementing healthcare exchanges in Missouri without the approval of the General Assembly; however, Carnahan wrote language that Koster approved which erroneously suggests that families would be denied affordable health care.

Schoeller, who is a state representative in Missouri's General Assembly, has crafted legislation that would ensure that a bi-partisan panel of Missouri citizens would participate in crafting future ballot language. Schoeller has also asked Speaker of the Missouri House, Steve Tilley, to setup an interim committee to look into this issue.

No comments: