Proposed amendments to the Missouri constitution go to a statewide vote, meaning all eligible voters in the state will see the following questions on their November ballot. Amendments need a simple majority to pass, and then they are added to the state constitution.
Amendment 2 proposes making it legal for people 21 years old and older to bet on sports in Missouri. If it passes, the Missouri Gaming Commission would regulate sports betting statewide. The state would establish a 10% tax on revenues from sports gambling and allocate any leftover funds to education.
The state anticipates a one-time cost of $660,000 and ongoing annual costs of $5.2 million. The state could collect up to $28.9 million annually from tax revenue. Initial licensing fees would bring in $11.75 million.
Warsaw R-IX Superintendent Scott Gemes commented that he wasn’t sure about how much money Amendment 2 would bring to education. “Amendment 2 will bring more money to Missouri so that is good, however, I don’t know how much of it will wind up going to education.”
Gemes said that right now citizens in Missouri are traveling to Kansas and Illinois to place their bets and that Missouri is missing out on the money those people spend when they travel to place bets.
Lincoln R-2 Superintendent Kevin Smith agreed with Gemes. “I was told recently by a legislator that school will not receive any funding until the gaming revenue reached $20,000,000. Then at that point every school would receive $285 per students on our ADA (average daily attendance). The legislator did not think the revenue would ever reach the minimum number. But if it did, we would receive $285 x 510 students. So it would certainly help the schools in Missouri. But to say it will immediately may be getting the cart in front of the horse,” said Smith.
The sports betting amendment includes these regulations:
A ban on advertising to minors.
Background checks for people/companies applying for a sports betting license. People convicted of felonies or gambling offenses can’t run the operations.
Promoting information on problem gambling on websites and apps.
Failure to comply with state regulations could bring a $50,000 fine. Repeat violators could be fined $100,000. A company’s license also could be placed on probation or revoked.
The Missouri Gaming Commision will regulate the sports betting industry, like it does with casinos. If the measure is passed, state lawmakers can further regulate the industry, said Jan Zimmerman, chair of the Missouri Gaming Commission.
The vote amends the state constitution, so some items — like the 10% tax rate on betting revenue — couldn’t be amended without another constitutional amendment.
The gaming commission can’t make new laws.
Another Amendment that Missouri voters will see on the ballot is Amendment 3, Right to Reproductive Freedom Initiative. The language on the ballot will be as follows:
"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."
As of September 27, 2024, 41 states restricted abortions after a certain point in pregnancy.[10] The remaining nine states and Washington, D.C., did not. Of the 41 states with established thresholds for restrictions on abortion:
Fourteen states restrict abortion after conception
Four states restrict abortion at six weeks post-fertilization
Two states restrict abortion at 12 weeks post-fertilization
One state restricts abortion at 15 weeks post-fertilization
One state restricts abortion at 18 weeks since the last menstrual period
Three states restrict abortion at 20 weeks post-fertilization or 22 weeks after the last menstrual period
Four states restrict abortion at 24 weeks since the last menstrual period
Eleven states restrict abortion at fetal viability
One state restricts abortion in the third trimester
Doctors take an oath to care for our patients to the best of our ability, to approach them without judgment, and to treat them with dignity and privacy.
Unfortunately, for Missouri physicians, our state’s abortion ban has been getting in the way of our ability to do our jobs. That’s why over 500 Missouri physicians, and over 800 Missouri medical professionals total, endorsed Amendment 3. Kansas City Star, September 29, 2024.
Amendment 5 will allow gambling establishments on the Lake of the Ozarks.
Do you want to amend the Missouri Constitution to: allow the Missouri Gaming Commission to issue one additional gambling boat license to operate on the portion of the Osage River from the Missouri River to the Bagnell Dam; require the prescribed location shall include artificial spaces that contain water and are within 500 feet of the 100-year base flood elevation as established by the Federal Emergency Management Agency; and require all state revenues derived from the issuance of the gambling boat license shall be appropriated to early-childhood literacy programs in public institutions of elementary education?
State governmental entities estimate one-time costs of $763,000, ongoing costs of $2.2 million annually, initial fee revenue of $271,000, ongoing admission and other fee revenue of $2.1 million annually, and annual gaming tax revenue of $14.3 million. Local governments estimate unknown revenue.
Fair Ballot Language:
A “yes” vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to allow the Missouri Gaming Commission to issue an additional gambling boat license to operate an excursion gambling boat on the Osage River, between the Missouri River and the Bagnell Dam. All state revenue derived from the issuance of the gambling boat license shall be appropriated to early-childhood literacy programs in public institutions of elementary education.
A “no” vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution regarding gambling boat licensure.
If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes.
Amendment 6 is about salaries and benefits for law enforcement personnel.
Official Ballot Title:
Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to provide that the administration of justice shall include the levying of costs and fees to support salaries and benefits for certain current and former law enforcement personnel?
State and local governmental entities estimate an unknown fiscal impact.
Fair Ballot Language:
A “yes” vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to levy costs and fees to support salaries and benefits for current and former sheriffs, prosecuting attorneys, and circuit attorneys to ensure all Missourians have access to the courts of justice.
A “no” vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution to levy costs and fees related to current or former sheriffs, prosecuting attorneys and circuit attorneys.
If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes.
According to Benton County Sheriff Eric Knox, this bill will help ensure that people will have retirement benefits if they chose to go into law enforcement.
“We had in place a $3 court cost that was designated for sheriff’s retirement, but that was challenged and found unconstitutional so we lost that money for the retirement of law enforcement,” said Knox. “This amendment will reinstate that money for retirement so we can recruit qualified candidates.”
Amendment 6 will reinstate the ability to collect the current $3 court fee for guilty please in criminal courts placed in Missouri state statutes. The $3 fee was established in December 1983 with the creation of the Missouri Sheriffs’ Retirement System.
House Bill 81 in 1983 placed the fee and retirement system in State Statutes. The court fee provided full funding for the Sheriffs’ retirement system since inception of the retirement system. The Prosecuting Attorneys’ Retirement system was created in 1989. The $4 fee for the Prosecuting Attorneys’ Retirement
System helps fund along with county and member contributions.
Amendment 6 allows voters to define the administration of justice as salary and benefits for only Sheriffs and Prosecuting Attorneys. The fee is only collected if a person is found guilty and judges will still be allowed to waive court fees if they find that it is a hardship on the person.
For many Sheriffs and Prosecutors and widows or widowers, this is the only retirement they have. The court fees can be considered a user fee of the court system, with many being out of state travelers. Without the fees, it would become a burden for the criminal justice system and fall to the local taxpayer to fund.
Sheriffs’ retirement has 200 retirees and survivors currently receiving benefits and 17 vest members not yet collecting benefits. 114 active Sheriffs are also participating in the plan and contributing 5% of their current salary. If Amendment 6 doesn’t’ pass, the sheriffs’ retirement system is projected to be bankrupt in 9 years.
There are 125 active members in Prosecuting Attorney’s Retirements System with 90 members receiving benefits and 50 vested not yet collecting benefits. If Amendment 6 doesn’t pass, the prosecuting attorneys’ retirement system is projected to be bankrupt in 15 years.
Amendment 7 is about voting.
Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to:
Make the Constitution consistent with state law by only allowing citizens of the United States to vote;
Prohibit the ranking of candidates by limiting voters to a single vote per candidate or issue; and
Require the plurality winner of a political party primary to be the single candidate at a general election?
State and local governmental entities estimate no costs or savings.
Fair Ballot Language:
A “yes” vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to specify that only United States citizens are entitled to vote, voters shall only have a single vote for each candidate or issue, restrict any type of ranking of candidates for a particular office and require the person receiving the greatest number of votes at the primary election as a party candidate for an office shall be the only candidate for that party at the general election, and require the person receiving the greatest number of votes for each office at the general election shall be declared the winner. This provision does not apply to any nonpartisan municipal election held in a city that had an ordinance in effect as of November 5, 2024, that requires a preliminary election at which more than one candidate advances to a subsequent election.
A “no” vote will not amend the Missouri Constitution to make any changes to how voters vote in primary and general elections.
If passed, this measure will have no impact on taxes.
These Amendments will be voted on November 5.
*A complete preview of all propositions on the upcoming ballot will be highlighted in next week's edition of the Benton County Enterprise.
