Mo. voters may decide on photo ID requirement (GOP constitutional amendment)

JEFFERSON CITY — Voters could decide whether to enact a photo ID requirement for voting under a proposed constitutional amendment given first-round approval Wednesday by the Missouri House.

Legislators approved a photo ID law in 2006, but it was struck down by the state Supreme Court as a violation of the state constitution. The proposal approved Wednesday would present the idea to voters as a constitutional amendment either in November or in a special election.

House members gave the resolution first-round approval on a party-line vote, 89-67.

Republicans brought up the proposal after the U.S. Supreme Court said an Indiana photo ID law was constitutional.
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"That minimal requirement, when balanced against safeguarding the vote, is a reasonable requirement," said the measure's sponsor, Rep. Stanley Cox, R-Sedalia.

In a spirited debate, Democrats said the push for voter ID laws is political.

"This resolution is trying to muzzle the voice of the people," said Minority Leader Paul LeVota, D-Independence. "The purpose of this is to have less people vote."

Critics argue that there is no evidence of voter fraud and that a voter ID requirement would hamper the poor and elderly, who are less likely to have photo identification...

http://www.stltoday.com/stltoday/news/stories.nsf/missouristatenews/story/B9740F26F20482B8862574430010D65E?OpenDocument


HOUSE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 48
94TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY

INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVES COX (Sponsor), FISHER, ERVIN, SCHAAF, DAVIS, JONES (89), RUESTMAN, WALLACE, FUNDERBURK, SANDER, DUSENBERG, BIVINS, WELLS AND SCHARNHORST (Co-sponsors).

Pre-filed December 11, 2007 and copies ordered printed.

D. ADAM CRUMBLISS, Chief Clerk
3572L.01I

JOINT RESOLUTION

Submitting to the qualified voters of Missouri, an amendment to article VIII of the Constitution of Missouri, and adopting one new section relating to voter identification.


Be it resolved by the House of Representatives, the Senate concurring therein:

That at the next general election to be held in the state of Missouri, on Tuesday next following the first Monday in November, 2008, or at a special election to be called by the governor for that purpose, there is hereby submitted to the qualified voters of this state, for adoption or rejection, the following amendment to article VIII of the Constitution of the state of Missouri:

Section A. Article VIII, Constitution of Missouri, is amended by adding one new section, to be known as section 8, to read as follows:

Section 8. Any person seeking to vote in a public election shall establish his or her qualifications as a citizen of the state of Missouri lawfully present in the United States of America by providing election officials a form of identification, including valid government-issued photo identification, as provided by law. The state shall provide at least one form of such identification required to vote at no cost to any otherwise qualified citizen who does not already possess such identification and who desires the identification in order to vote. In the event that any political subdivision incurs costs to implement the requirements of this section, the state shall reimburse the political subdivision for such costs.

http://www.house.mo.gov/billtracking/bills081/biltxt/intro/HJR0048I.HTM


The vote:

AYES: 086

Avery
Baker 123
Bivins (Co-sponsor)
Brandom
Brown 30
Bruns
Cooper 155
Cox (sponsor)
Cunningham 145
Cunningham 86
Davis (Co-sponsor)
Day
Deeken
Denison
Dethrow
Dixon
Dusenberg (Co-sponsor)
Ervin (Co-sponsor)
Faith
Fares
Fisher (Co-sponsor)
Flook
Franz
Funderburk (Co-sponsor)
Grisamore
Guest
Hobbs
Hunter
Icet
Jones 89 (Co-sponsor)
Jones 117
Kasten
Kelly
Kingery
Kraus
Lembke
Lipke
May
McGhee
Moore
Munzlinger
Muschany
Nance
Nieves
Nolte
Onder
Parkinson
Parson
Pearce
Pollock
Portwood
Pratt
Quinn 7
Richard
Robb
Ruestman (Co-sponsor)
Ruzicka
Sander (Co-sponsor)
Schaaf (Co-sponsor)
Schad
Scharnhorst (Co-sponsor)
Schlottach
Schneider
Schoeller
Self
Silvey
Smith 14
Smith 150
Stevenson
St. Onge
Stream
Sutherland
Thomson
Threlkeld
Tilley
Viebrock
Wallace (Co-sponsor)
Wasson
Wells (Co-sponsor)
Weter
Wilson 119
Wilson 130
Wood
Wright 159
Yates
Mr Speaker


NOES: 069

Aull
Baker 25
Bland
Bringer
Brown 50
Burnett
Casey
Chappelle-Nadal
Corcoran
Curls
Darrough
Daus
Donnelly
Dougherty
El-Amin
Fallert
Frame
George
Grill
Harris 23
Harris 110
Haywood
Hodges
Holsman
Hoskins
Hubbard
Hughes
Johnson
Komo
Kratky
Kuessner
Lampe
LeVota
Liese
Low 39
Lowe 44
McClanahan
Meadows
Meiners
Nasheed
Norr
Oxford
Page
Quinn 9
Robinson
Roorda
Rucker
Salva
Scavuzzo
Schieffer
Schoemehl
Shively
Skaggs
Storch
Swinger
Talboy
Todd
Villa
Vogt
Walsh
Walton
Whorton
Wildberger
Witte
Wright-Jones
Yaeger
Young
Zimmerman
Zweifel


PRESENT: 000

ABSENT WITH LEAVE: 006

Cooper 120
Emery
Loehner
Marsh
Sater
Spreng


VACANCIES: 002

I am still waiting to hear of all the hundreds of cases of voters stealing identities to vote.