Jeff City – Missouri's House voted to on a measure that would make passing state Constitutional amendments more difficult, setting the threshold higher by requiring a 60 percent passing vote.
During the arguments over the idea, St. Louis's Barbara Phifer (D-90th), cited a lesson from her mother who argued you never take away rights, "any law that creates a supermajority undercuts our right to vote and I believe it is a step toward tyranny. And if we take away the rights of others, who's going to protect us when our rights our threatened?"
On the other side, some Republicans supporters argue outside special interests have dominated the process by getting massive votes from urban areas. Rural legislators have argued constitutional amendment campaigns focus only on vote rich areas.
House sponsor Mike Henderson (R-117) told colleagues, "I realize that a vast majority of our population live in St. Louis, Kansas City, Columbia, and Springfield. But I also believe that people in southeast, northeast, and northwest Missouri want to be heard too."
The measure gained first-round House approval on a straight party line vote. It requires another vote to get to the Senate.