HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 23 103RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY INTRODUCED BY REPRESENTATIVE PERKINS. 5904H.02I JOSEPH ENGLER, Chief Clerk
WHEREAS, Article I, Section 1, of the Missouri Constitution recognizes that “All 2 political power is vested in and derived from the people"; and 3 4 WHEREAS, the Tenth Amendment to the United States Constitution affirms that any 5 powers not delegated to the federal government are reserved to the states or the people, 6 reinforcing the principle of federalism; and 7 8 WHEREAS, the states have long served as laboratories of democracy, uniquely 9 positioned to establish election laws and policies that reflect the needs and interests of their 10 citizens; and 11 12 WHEREAS, a robust system of state-led election governance strengthens self- 13 government, promotes accountability, and preserves the integrity of the electoral process by 14 ensuring that the people of each state determine how best to protect their representation and 15 participation in democratic processes; and 16 17 WHEREAS, the framers of the United States Constitution recognized the role of the 18 states in structuring election laws and mechanisms, understanding that a one-size-fits-all 19 federal approach is neither necessary nor desirable; and 20 21 WHEREAS, the people of Missouri and other states have a vested interest in ensuring 22 that their electoral processes remain responsive to their needs and are free from 23 disproportionate influence by foreign entities or individuals that may not reflect the 24 priorities of the electorate; and 25 HCR 23 2
26 WHEREAS, the principle of self-governance requires that states retain the ability to 27 establish laws governing the influence of money in elections, consistent with their unique 28 circumstances and policy considerations; and 29 30 WHEREAS, the constitutional amendment process provides an avenue for 31 reaffirming the role of the states in overseeing elections and ensuring that their authority 32 in this realm is preserved: 33 34 NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED that the members of the House of 35 Representatives of the One Hundred Third General Assembly, Second Regular Session, the 36 Senate concurring therein, hereby call upon the members of the Missouri congressional 37 delegation to uphold the principles of federalism and to be proponents of appropriate action, 38 including, if necessary, a constitutional amendment that affirms the authority of states to 39 govern their election processes and establishes the ability of the states to enact policies 40 regarding campaign finance and election influence, in a manner consistent with established 41 constitutional principles; and 42 43 BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Clerk of the Missouri House of 44 Representatives be instructed to prepare a properly inscribed copy of this resolution for the 45 members of the Missouri congressional delegation. ✔