Missouri voters likely to see these three questions on November ballot

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KY3) - Three big questions are likely to go before Missouri voters this year; whether to overturn the state’s ban on abortion, whether to legalize sports betting, and whether to raise the minimum wage.

With the May 5 deadline just over two weeks away, the campaigns behind those three initiatives say they’re on track to meet the deadline for turning in the required 171,592 signatures.

Per state law, those signatures must be collected from at least six of the state’s eight congressional districts.

Sports Betting

The campaign behind an initiative to legalize sports betting in Missouri announced this week, it’s collected more than 325,000, nearly doubling the required amount.

“Missouri is one of only about a dozen states now that doesn’t have sports betting,” said Jack Cardetti, a campaign spokesperson for Winning for Missouri Education. “As a result, what we see is Missourians are either using illegal offshore websites to bet – or they’re going over a block or two into Kansas or over into Illinois to place those bets.”

Opponents to the policy have said they’re not against putting sports betting to a vote but their concern lies in the protections against problem gambling and accountability of the revenue generated.

Here’s how the question would appear on the November Ballot:

Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to:

allow the Missouri Gaming Commission to regulate licensed sports wagering including online sports betting, gambling boats, professional sports betting districts and mobile licenses to sports betting operators;
restrict sports betting to individuals physically located in the state and over the age of 21;
allow license fees prescribed by the Commission and a 10% wagering tax on revenues received to be appropriated for education after expenses incurred by the Commission and required funding of the Compulsive Gambling Prevention Fund; and
allow for the general assembly to enact laws consistent with this amendment?

State governmental entities estimate one-time costs of $660,000, ongoing annual costs of at least $5.2 million, and initial license fee revenue of $11.75 million. Because the proposal allows for deductions against sports gaming revenues, they estimate unknown tax revenue ranging from $0 to $28.9 million annually. Local governments estimate unknown revenue.

Abortion

An even more hotly debated issue had to clear multiple, months-long legal hurdles before supporters could even start collecting signatures; the question of abortion rights.

The amendment would lift the state’s abortion ban, bringing Missouri’s standard back to what it was under Roe vs. Wade. It would also protect the right to contraceptives if voters sign off.

The campaign backing the initiative, Missourians for Constitutional Freedom – would not release how many signatures it has gathered so far, but has raised nearly $10 million since launching, according to filings with the Missouri Ethics Commission.

“Our grassroots movement continues to build momentum, we’re confident, and we’re going to keep doing the work to grow support across the state,” said Maggie Olivia, a campaign spokesperson.

That initiative has an active campaign fighting against it, backed by a group called Missouri Stands with Women. The campaign encourages voters to “decline to sign,” and has raised a little less than $85,000.

Here’s how the question would appear on the November Ballot:

Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to:

establish a right to make decisions about reproductive health care, including abortion and contraceptives, with any governmental interference of that right presumed invalid;
remove Missouri’s ban on abortion;
allow regulation of reproductive health care to improve or maintain the health of the patient;
require the government not to discriminate, in government programs, funding, and other activities, against persons providing or obtaining reproductive health care; and
allow abortion to be restricted or banned after Fetal Viability except to protect the life or health of the woman?

State governmental entities estimate no costs or savings, but unknown impact. Local governmental entities estimate costs of at least $51,000 annually in reduced tax revenues. Opponents estimate a potentially significant loss to state revenue.

Minimum Wage

Missourians could also likely see a question to raise the state’s minimum wage from the current $12.30 an hour, to $13.75 starting in 2025 and then $15 per hour starting in 2026.

The campaign is being organized by Missourians for Healthy Families & Fair Wages.

“This measure would help over 137,000 parents as well as 338,000 kids who live with a parent who earns minimum wage by gradually raising the minimum wage to $15 by 2026,” the organization said on its website. “This is an adjustment that small businesses can get behind that allows parents to get their feet underneath them, pay the bills, and work toward better opportunities.”

Here’s how the question would appear on the November Ballot:

Do you want to amend Missouri law to:

increase minimum wage January 1, 2025 to $13.75 per hour, increasing $1.25 per hour each year until 2026, when the minimum wage would be $15.00 per hour;
adjust minimum wage based on changes in the Consumer Price Index each January beginning in 2027;
require all employers to provide one hour of paid sick leave for every thirty hours worked;
allow the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations to provide oversight and enforcement; and
exempt governmental entities, political subdivisions, school districts and education institutions?

State governmental entities estimate one-time costs ranging from $0 to $53,000, and ongoing costs ranging from $0 to at least $256,000 per year by 2027. State and local government tax revenue could change by an unknown annual amount depending on business decisions.

General Election Day is November 5, 2024.

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