MO IP Reform is in Danger!
Our friends at Freedom Principle MO just put this out:
Freedom Principle Outraged Over House Majority Leader Patterson's Effort to Kill IP Reform
(April 17, 2024 – St. Louis, MO)
The Freedom Principle MO has learned that House Majority Leader Jonathan Patterson (Dist. 30) is blocking SJR 74, a bill to put a proposed ballot initiative on the August ballot to amend the constitution regarding approval of initiative petitions. “Blocking the bill from coming to the House floor for a vote is killing the bill,” said Byron Keelin, President of the Freedom Principle MO. “We are outraged at this news. We are calling for House Republicans to Censure Representative Patterson and demand he resign from his leadership position.”
SJR 74, if passed by the House and Senate, and approved by the voters in August, will make it harder to amend Missouri’s Constitution just in time for the November election. SJR 74 will require:
The use of Concurrent Majority Ratification. This is a two-step process that gives ALL Missourians an equal voice in approving Constitutional amendments.
Prohibits non-citizens from voting on ballot initiatives
Prohibits any foreign government or political party from influencing or donating money for a ballot initiative
“Majority Leader Patterson has turned his back on his republican colleagues, on the residents of Missouri, and the Republican Party,” said Keelin. “How many more times do Republican legislators need to be double-crossed by him before they realize they need new leadership? He should immediately be removed from his Republican leadership position.”
Representative Patterson has also blocked two pro-second amendment bills because of the Kansas City shooting. One would have allowed citizens to carry guns on public transit and inside churches and the second one would exempt firearms and ammunition from sales taxes.
Patterson also voted against the SAFE ACT, which protects Missouri Children from transgender mutilation surgery and was instrumental in pushing the four-year sunset clause.
The Freedom Principle is calling on House Republicans to use whatever tactics they can, including not showing up for quorum calls until Representative Patterson resigns or brings SJR 74 to the floor for a vote.
The Freedom Principle is also calling on Speaker Plocher to not schedule any Senate bills on the House Calendar for a vote until SJR 74 is passed. “There should not be another piece of business conducted in the House of Representatives until SJR 74 is brought to the floor and voted on,” said Keelin.
“There are less than 25 days left in this legislative session to pass SJR 74,” said Keelin. “The pro-abortion-on-demand crowd is close to getting enough signatures to get their initiative petition on the November ballot. If they get their IP on the November ballot and we have not implemented Concurrent Majority Ratification, Missouri could become a blue state overnight.”
The Freedom Principle is asking Missourians to contact Representative Jon Patterson at 573-751-0907 or e-mail him at Jonathan.patterson@house.mo.gov and tell him to bring SJR 74 to the floor for a vote. We are also asking Missourians to contact their representatives and tell them they have had enough of politicians putting special interests above their constituents.
“For the last three years, we have watched the House and Senate Leadership block initiative petition reform,” said Keelin. “We are two votes away from having the most substantial initiative petition reform that will protect our constitution and unfortunately, we are being blocked by Republicans in the Senate and House leadership.”
The Freedom Principle MO is a pro-citizen, pro-Missouri First organization. We are a membership-based 501(c)4 organization, acting locally and state-wide, to protect our families and our constitutionally protected liberties. We are fighting for America. We are fighting for Missouri. We are fighting for you. For more information about the Freedom Principle MO visit our website at www.freedomprinciplemo.org.
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Contact Information
Byron Keelin
President, Freedom Principle MO