Missouri HB551: Modifies provisions for initiative petitions and referendums

What the bill says

An act that the United States Constitution requires to be accomplished by the general assembly. 116.080. 1. Each petition circulator shall be a citizen of the United States, [at least] eighteenyearsofageorolder,aresidentofthisstateorphysicallypresentinthisstatefor at least thirty consecutive days prior to the collection of signatures, and registered with the secretary of state. No petition circulator shall be paid anything of value that is based on the number of signatures collected. Signatures collected by any circulator who has not registered with the secretary of state pursuant to this chap.

From the introduced text:

an act that the United States Constitution requires to be accomplished by the general assembly. 116.080. 1. Each petition circulator shall be a citizen of the United States, [at least] eighteenyearsofageorolder,aresidentofthisstateorphysicallypresentinthisstatefor at least thirty consecutive days prior to the collection of signatures, and registered with the secretary of state. No petition circulator shall be paid anything of value that is based on the number of signatures collected. Signatures collected by any circulator who has not registered with the secretary of state pursuant to this chapter on or before 5:00 p.m. on the final day for filing petitions with the secretary of state shall not be counted. A petition circulator shall be deemed registered at the time such circulator delivers a signed circulator's affidavit pursuant to section 116.030, with respect to a referendum petition, or section 116.040,withrespecttoaninitiativepetition,totheofficeofthesecretaryofstate. Noperson shall qualify as a petition circulatorwho has been convicted of, found guilty of, or pled guilty toanoffenseinvolvingforgeryunderthelawsofthisstateoranoffenseunderthelawsofany other jurisdiction if that offense would be considered forgery under the laws of this state. 2. Each petition circulator shall subscribe and swear to the proper affidavit on each petition page such circulator submits before a notary public commissioned in Missouri. Whennotarizingacirculator'ssignature,anotarypublicshallsignhisorherofficialsignature andaffixhisorherofficialsealtotheaffidavitonlyifthecirculatorpersonallyappearsbefore the notary and subscribes and swears to the affidavit in his or her presence. 3. Anycirculatorwhofalselyswearstoacirculator'saffidavitknowingittobefalseis guilty of a class A misdemeanor punishable, …