Eleanor Finch
The Missouri Constitution is the state constitution of the U.S. State of Missouri, and it is the supreme law that formulates the law and government of Missouri, subject only to the federal Constitution and the people. The Missouri Constitution has been amended 126 times since its adoption in 1945, and the Missouri Legislature can amend the constitution. The Missouri House recently passed legislation to increase the threshold to pass an initiated constitutional amendment from a simple majority to 60%. This legislation aims to address concerns about the increasing length of the constitution with each new amendment and the role of voters in changing state laws.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Number of times the Missouri Constitution has been amended | 119 times (as of 2025) or 126 times (as of 2024) |
| Current Missouri Constitution | Fourth Constitution, created in 1945 |
| Number of Constitutions in Missouri's history | 4 |
| Process of amending the Constitution | A simple majority vote is required for the Missouri General Assembly to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. This amounts to a minimum of 82 votes in the Missouri House of Representatives and 18 votes in the Missouri State Senate. Amendments do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot. |
| Current push to amend the Constitution | Missouri GOP is pushing to make it harder for voters to amend the state constitution by initiative petition. |
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What You'll Learn
Missouri citizens can propose and pass laws
Missouri's constitution splits the state's government into three branches: the legislative, executive, and judicial. The legislative branch, called the General Assembly, is further divided into the Senate and the House of Representatives.
The laws of Missouri can be written by senators, representatives, and citizens. The first step to making a law is writing a "bill". A senator or representative drafts a bill that they want to be passed into law. A smaller group of senators or representatives, called a "committee", then reviews the bill and discusses it. The committee holds a meeting where citizens and experts can further talk about the bill. If the committee supports the bill, the whole house or senate discusses the bill and votes on it. If more than half of the Senate or House supports the bill, the bill then goes to the other side of the General Assembly. For example, if more than half of the Senate supports the bill, then it goes to the House. If more than half of the General Assembly supports the bill, it goes to the Governor.
The Governor can sign the bill into law, veto it, or take no action. A veto means that the Governor does not support the bill. If the Governor vetoes the bill, it can still become a law if two out of three senators and representatives support the bill. This is called overriding the Governor's veto.
Citizens can also propose and pass laws through the initiative petition process. If five percent of Missouri voters sign a petition showing their support for a bill, all Missouri voters will vote and decide if that bill should become a law. This is called amending the constitution via an initiative.
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The Missouri Constitution has been amended 126 times
The Missouri Constitution is the state constitution of the U.S. State of Missouri. It is the supreme law that formulates the law and government of Missouri, subject only to the federal Constitution. Missouri has had four constitutions in its history, with the current one being adopted in 1945. The Missouri Constitution has been amended 126 times, with the most recent amendments, consisting of four changes, approved in 2024.
The Missouri Constitution is changed if more than half of the voters agree to the proposed change. The Missouri Constitution can be amended via three different paths: a citizen-initiated process, a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention. For a citizen-initiated amendment, the number of signatures required is based on the number of votes cast for the governor in the state's most recent gubernatorial election. Proponents must collect signatures equal to 8% of the gubernatorial vote in two-thirds of Missouri's congressional districts. A simple majority vote is then required for voter approval.
The legislative process for amending the Missouri Constitution requires a simple majority vote during one legislative session for the Missouri General Assembly to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. This amounts to a minimum of 82 votes in the Missouri House of Representatives and 18 votes in the Missouri State Senate. Amendments via this process do not require the governor's signature to be referred to the ballot.
The Missouri Constitution also provides for an automatic referendum to appear on the ballot every 20 years, starting in 1942, asking voters if they would like to convene a constitutional convention to revise the constitution.
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The Missouri Constitution is changed if over half of voters agree
The Missouri Constitution is the state constitution of the U.S. State of Missouri. Missouri has had four constitutions in its history, with the most recent one being created in 1945. This constitution is still in effect today.
The Missouri Constitution can be changed if more than half of the voters agree to the change. This process begins with the General Assembly, which consists of the Senate and the House of Representatives. More than half of the senators and half of the representatives need to support a change to the Missouri Constitution before the people can vote for it. The change, or amendment, is then voted on by all the voters of Missouri. If more than half of the voters agree to it, the Missouri Constitution is changed.
The Missouri Constitution has been amended 119 to 126 times since 1945. Some of these amendments have been controversial, such as legalizing commercial gambling in 1993, allowing the production of human embryos for stem cell research, and prohibiting same-sex marriage in 2004.
In recent years, there have been efforts to make it harder for voters to amend the Missouri Constitution. Some Republican lawmakers argue that the constitution's increasing length with each new amendment is problematic, and that changing state laws should not be left to voters. In 2024, the Missouri Senate passed a bill that would require a statewide majority and a majority vote in five out of eight congressional districts to pass a constitutional amendment. This proposal, known as a concurrent majority, would give more weight to votes from small districts than those from more populous ones.
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The Missouri Constitution has 14 constitutional articles
The Missouri Constitution is the state constitution of the U.S. State of Missouri. It is the supreme law that formulates the law and government of Missouri, subject only to the federal Constitution and the people. Missouri has had four constitutions in its history, the current one being the fourth, which was created and adopted in 1945. This constitution outlines a three-branch system of government: the legislative branch (the Missouri General Assembly), the executive branch (the Governor of Missouri), and the judicial branch (the Supreme Court of Missouri). It also establishes local governments in the form of counties and cities.
The citizen-initiated process, also known as an initiated constitutional amendment, allows citizens to propose and pass laws. This process requires signatures from two-thirds of Missouri's congressional districts, equalling 8% of the gubernatorial vote for initiated constitutional amendments. The third path is a state constitutional convention, which automatically appears on the state's ballot every 20 years, starting in 1942.
The Missouri Constitution has been amended several times to address various issues, such as expanding Medicaid, raising the minimum wage, and legalizing marijuana. The process of amending the constitution has been a topic of debate, with some Republican legislators prioritizing making it more difficult by increasing the required voter support from a simple majority to 60%.
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The Missouri Constitution allows citizens to initiate legislation
The Missouri Constitution is the state constitution of Missouri, which outlines the state's framework for governance, including the powers, structure, and limitations of the state government, individual and civil rights, and other matters. The current Missouri Constitution was adopted in 1945 and is the state's fourth constitution. It has been amended 126 times, with the most recent amendments approved in 2024.
Initiated constitutional amendments have been responsible for expanding Medicaid, raising the minimum wage, and legalizing marijuana in the state. To get on the ballot, at least 171,592 signatures are required for proposed amendments in the initiative petition process. A simple majority of voter support is needed for the amendments to pass. However, some legislators want to make amending the constitution via an initiative more difficult, with a higher threshold of voter support.
The Missouri Constitution can be amended through three paths: a citizen-initiated process, a legislative process, and a state constitutional convention. In a citizen-initiated process, proponents must collect signatures equal to 8% of the gubernatorial vote in two-thirds of Missouri's congressional districts. A simple majority vote is required for voter approval. The legislative process requires a simple majority vote during one legislative session for the Missouri General Assembly to place a constitutional amendment on the ballot. This amounts to a minimum of 82 votes in the House of Representatives and 18 votes in the State Senate.
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Frequently asked questions
The Missouri Constitution is the state constitution of the U.S. State of Missouri. It is the supreme law that outlines the rules for the state's government and its powers, structure, and limitations.
The Missouri Constitution can be amended if more than half of the voters agree to the change. The process of amending the constitution can be initiated by citizens through state statutes or constitutional amendments. Alternatively, the General Assembly can suggest a change, but this requires support from more than half of the senators and representatives before it can be put to a vote.
For a citizen's initiative to be considered, it must have signatures equal to 8% of the legal voters in two-thirds of the eight congressional districts. If the initiative passes this stage, it will be put to a vote, requiring a simple majority for the amendment to be adopted.
The Missouri Constitution has been amended 126 times since 1945. Some notable examples include the legalization of commercial gambling in 1993, the legalization of medical marijuana in 2018, and an amendment prohibiting same-sex marriage in 2004.
