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Senate debate splits over bill to limit courts’ role in rewriting ballot summaries
Summary
Senate Bill 22 set off an extended Feb. 11 floor debate on whether courts should be allowed to rewrite ballot summary language; sponsors argued the bill restores separation of powers, while critics warned handing final wording to a partisan secretary of state risks politicizing the process.
Senate Bill 22 drew intense floor debate on Feb. 11 as senators argued over which institutions should have final authority to prepare or rewrite summary statements that appear on ballots. Sponsor Senator from Cass framed the bill as a separation-of-powers correction, saying courts have overstepped by rewriting summary language and effectively putting “pen to paper” on ballot items.
"This is not a partisan issue," the sponsor said on the floor, citing Article II and Article V provisions of the Missouri Constitution and the Federalist Papers'…
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