Bills have been introduced in both houses of the Missouri legislature to restrict who can circulate an initiative petition. They are HB 228 and SB 115. The House sponsor is Rep. Michael Parson (R-Bolivar). The Senate sponsor is Senator Joan Bray (D-St. Louis). The bills would outlaw out-of-state circulators, and also outlaw paying circulators on a per-signature basis. They also would make it illegal for anyone to circulate two initiative petitions simultaneously. Thanks to Tom Knapp for this news.
If paying by the hour, would it be illegal to have a “quota” ? Would it be illegal to have an hourly rate plus “bonus” for performance?
This element of the bill in regards to compensation is probably its legal shortcoming. People have the right to negotiate their compensation for services rendered, and commission based compensation is a legal right.
I just checked the Bill of Rights. I can’t believe we’ve overlooked it all of these years — it says we have freedom of speech, as long as we don’t speak on more than one thing at a time. Thank goodness Rep. Parson and Sen. Bray are helping to clarify this situation! Where would be be without them?
The Kansas and Missouri of Don Lake’s youth! Cat fights between the Democans and the Republicrats as alternative views are wide spread in REAL news papers and on REAL television and with REAL radio! Not more than a word or two in the bought and sold Establishment Duopoly Ville!
Oh and I guess paying per hour was a deterrent to ACORN. Politicians loathe our Constitution. I guess the First amendment where government is to make no law against our rights to petition our government for redress is irrelevant.