Abortion rights, sports gambling make Missouri’s November ballot
KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The Missouri Secretary of State, Jay Ashcroft, announced on Tuesday afternoon that three widely debated initiative petitions will make their way to the ballot box in November.
According to Ashcroft’s office, signatures for petitions 2024-038 Minimum Wage and Earned Paid Sick Time, 2024-086 Reproductive Health Care, and 2024-160 Sports Wagering, were submitted to his office before May 8 and received a Certificate of Sufficiency.
To receive a certificate, a petition must meet the minimum number of valid signatures in six of eight congressional districts in Missouri. Because the three petitions met these requirements, each will appear on the Nov. 5 ballot.
Here’s everything you need to know about the petitions:
Amendment 3: 2024-086 Reproductive Health Care
Petition 2024-086 will decide whether a right to abortion will be guaranteed under a constitutional amendment. This amendment would overturn the state’s near-total ban on the procedure and add it to the Missouri constitution.
In order for the petition to be passed, it will need approval from a majority of voters in the general election.
The new ballot measure, according to AP, would “create a right to abortion until a fetus could likely survive outside the womb without extraordinary medical measures.” It would also allow abortions after fetal viability (generally considered to be about 23 to 24 weeks into pregnancy) if a healthcare professional believes it is necessary to save the mother’s life, her mental health and her physical health.
Currently in the state of Missouri, to perform or induce an abortion is considered a felony punishable by 5 to 15 years in prison. However, a woman undergoing an abortion cannot be prosecuted.
“This amendment is about more than just policy. It’s about freedom. It’s about who is in charge of your personal medical decisions. It’s about reclaiming the right to make the best decisions for you, your family, and your future,” said Tori Schafer, Director of Policy and Campaigns at ACLU of Missouri. “We know that Missourians, regardless of their personal feelings about abortion, want these decisions to be with women and families, not politicians. “
This law came into effect after the U.S. Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, leading to state-controlled and regulated abortion laws.
According to the Associated Press, Missouri is joining at least a half-dozen other states that will have abortion-related rights added to the ballot in November. These states include Arizona, Colorado, Florida, Maryland, South Dakota and Nevada.
Amendment 2: 2024-160 Sports Wagering
Petition 2024-160, which is led by six of Missouri’s professional sports franchises, will allow voters to legalize sports betting and allocate millions of dollars to public education systems annually.
If passed, Missouri would join 38 other states in the initiative, allowing Missourians to place safe and regulated bets online, on gambling boats, and in professional sports betting districts.
Currently, Missourians spend millions a year on illegal wagering sites or traveling to neighboring states. However, if the petition were to be enacted into law, sports wagering would be regulated by the Missouri Gaming Commission, allowing people over the age of 21 to participate throughout the state. As well as this, a 10% wagering tax on revenues would be given to educational institutions in Missouri.
“I don’t really gamble, so gambling isn’t really for me, but raising the minimum wage sounds great to me,” said Austin Garner, a Missouri voter. “People could use more money, so it works out for everyone.”
“I think sports betting is a good thing,” said Susan Lesley, who lives in Independence, MO. “It’ll bring more money to the economy.”
State governmental entities estimated one-time costs of $660,000, annual costs of over $5 million, and an initial license fee revenue of $11.75 million.
This would lead to an unknown tax revenue ranging from $0 to $28.9 million annually because the petition allows for deduction against sports gaming revenues.
Proposition A: 2024-038 Minimum Wage and Earned Paid Sick Time
Petition 2024-038 would increase the minimum wage on Jan. 1, 2025 to $13.75 per hour with incremental $1.25 increases until 2026. By that year, the minimum wage would reach $15.
This petition would also provide Missourians with the opportunity to have seven paid sick days per year — one hour of paid sick leave for every 30 hours worked — for workplaces with more than 15 employees. Businesses with less than 15 employees can earn up to five paid sick days per year.
If this petition were to pass, state governmental agencies estimate one-time costs ranging from $0 to $53,000, and ongoing costs of $0 to $256,000 per year by 2027. As a result of these changes, state and local tax revenues could change annually depending on business decisions.
“I would really appreciate it (raising the minimum wage) because, like I said, I live paycheck to paycheck, and once I pay my bills, I’m just squeezing money for groceries,” said Tracy Glover, a Missouri voter.
“Minimum wage is very important for my family. I know a lot of young adults who have had a lot of problems with not just minimum wage but also getting 40-hour weeks, and so I think that would be the right way for us to go,” said Sonya Dickey, a Missouri voter.
This proposal will not apply to governmental agencies, political subdivisions, school districts and educational institutions.
This story was in collaboration with the Associated Press.
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