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Missouri Constitution
| Missouri Constitution |
|---|
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| Preamble |
| Articles |
| I • II • III • IV • V • VI • VII • VIII • IX • X • XI • XII • XIII • XIV |
The Missouri Constitution is the fundamental governing document of the state of Missouri.
Features
Altogether, the Missouri Constitution has 13 constitutional articles.[1] The state's current constitution was adopted in 1945 and is the state's fourth constitution.
Since 1962, Missourians have been asked every twenty years if they would like to convene a constitutional convention to revise the constitution; each time, a majority of the state's voters have rejected the proposal.[2]
Background
- The current Missouri Constitution was adopted in 1945.
- Missouri has had four state constitutions.
- The current state constitution has 14 articles.
- The current Missouri Constitution has been amended 126 times.[3][4]
- The most recent amendments to the Missouri Constitution, of which there were four, were approved in 2024.
Preamble
The preamble of the Missouri Constitution states:
Article I: Bill of Rights
- See also: Article I, Missouri Constitution
Article I of the Missouri Constitution is entitled "Bill of Rights" and consists of 35 sections.[1]
Click here to read this article of the Missouri Constitution.
Article II: The Distribution of Powers
- See also: Article II, Missouri Constitution
Article II of the Missouri Constitution is entitled "The Distribution of Powers" and consists of a single section.[1]
Click here to read this article of the Missouri Constitution.
Article III: Legislative Department
- See also: Article III, Missouri Constitution
Article III of the Missouri Constitution is entitled "Legislative Department" and consists of 53 sections.[1]
Click here to read this article of the Missouri Constitution.
Article IV: Executive Department
- See also: Article IV, Missouri Constitution
Article IV of the Missouri Constitution is entitled "Executive Department" and consists of 53 sections.[1]
Click here to read this article of the Missouri Constitution.
Article V: Judicial Department
- See also: Article V, Missouri Constitution
Article V of the Missouri Constitution is entitled "Judicial Department" and consists of 27 sections.[1]
Click here to read this article of the Missouri Constitution.
Article VI: Local Government
- See also: Article VI, Missouri Constitution
Article VI of the Missouri Constitution is entitled "Local Government" and consists of 33 sections.[1]
Click here to read this article of the Missouri Constitution.
Article VII: Public Officers
- See also: Article VII, Missouri Constitution
Article VII of the Missouri Constitution is entitled "Public Officers" and consists of 14 sections.[1]
Click here to read this article of the Missouri Constitution.
Article VIII: Suffrage and Elections
- See also: Article VIII, Missouri Constitution
Article VIII of the Missouri Constitution is entitled "Suffrage and Elections."[1]
Click here to read this article of the Missouri Constitution.
Article IX: Education
- See also: Article IX, Missouri Constitution
Article IX of the Missouri Constitution is entitled "Education" and consists of 10 sections.[1]
Click here to read this article of the Missouri Constitution.
Article X: Taxation
- See also: Article X, Missouri Constitution
Article X of the Missouri Constitution is entitled "Taxation" and consists of 26 sections.[1]
Click here to read this article of the Missouri Constitution.
Article XI: Corporations
- See also Article XI, Missouri Constitution
Article XI of the Missouri Constitution is entitled "Corporations" and consists of 13 sections.
Click here to read this article of the Missouri Constitution.
Article XII: Amending the Constitution
- See also: Article XII, Missouri Constitution
Article XII of the Missouri Constitution is entitled "Amending the Constitution" and consists of six sections.
Click here to read this article of the Missouri Constitution.
Article XIII: Public Employees
- See also: Article XIII, Missouri Constitution
Article XIII of the Missouri Constitution is entitled "Public Employees" and consists of three sections.
Click here to read this article of the Missouri Constitution.
Article XIV: Medical Marijuana
- See also: Article XIV, Missouri Constitution
Article XIV of the Missouri Constitution is entitled "Medical Cannabis" and consists of one section.
Click here to read this article of the Missouri Constitution.
Amending the constitution
The Missouri Constitution can be amended via three different paths:
- Legislatively-referred constitutional amendments. Either chamber of the Missouri State Legislature is allowed to propose an amendment. A majority of members of both chambers must approve it; if they do, the proposed amendment goes on a statewide ballot for a popular vote of the people where if a simple majority approves it, it becomes part of the constitution.
- Initiated constitutional amendments. These are discussed in Sections 49, 50, 51 and 53 of Article III. The number of signatures required for an initiated constitutional amendment to go on the Missouri ballot is based on how many electors voted for governor in the most recent gubernatorial election, with a distribution requirement included in addition to the basic requirement (see Missouri signature requirements).
- Through a constitutional convention as established in Section 3a of Article XII. A question about whether to hold a constitutional convention is to automatically appear on the state's ballot every twenty years. The automatic referrals were on the ballot in 1962, 1982 and 2002.[5] The next referral will be in 2022. In 1942, under an older version of the Missouri Constitution, voters were asked about having a constitutional convention and said "Yes." It was that convention that led to the Missouri Constitution of 1945, the state's current constitution.
Votes on proposed amendments can take place at a general election or a special election.
A unique feature of Missouri's law governing constitutional amendments is a provision in Section 2(b) of Article XII saying that proposed amendments should be published if possible "in two newspapers of different political faith in each county."
History
Missouri's first constitution was drafted in 1820 in 38 days.[6] A constitutional convention resulted in the state's second constitution, and the third was drafted 10 years later. Missouri's fourth constitution was drafted in 1942 and ratified in 1945. This constitution provided for three branches of government: legislative (the Missouri General Assembly), executive (the Governor of Missouri) and judicial (the Missouri Supreme Court). The Constitution of 1945 is the current constitution.[7]
See also
- State constitution
- Constitutional article
- Constitutional amendment
- Constitutional revision
- Constitutional convention
- Amendments
External links
- Missouri General Assembly, "Missouri Constitution"
- The Missouri History Museum, "The Constitution of 1865 - Drake Constitution"
- Green Papers, "Historical overview of the Missouri Constitution"
- YouTube, "Missouri Constitution"
Footnotes
- ↑ 1.00 1.01 1.02 1.03 1.04 1.05 1.06 1.07 1.08 1.09 1.10 1.11 Missouri General Assembly, "Missouri Constitution," accessed March 30, 2014
- ↑ I and R Institute.org, "Missouri Constitution," accessed March 30, 2014
- ↑ Missouri Legislative Academy, "Constitutional Amendments, Statutory Revision and Referenda Submitted to the Voters by the General Assembly or by Initiative Petition, 1910–2010," accessed July 4, 2017
- ↑ This number was calculated by taking the total amendments approved from 1910 through 2010, subtracting amendments adopted prior to 1945 (the year the current constitution was adopted), and adding amendments adopted after 2010.
- ↑ Calling constitutional conventions: Missouri's best-kept secret
- ↑ Metro Voice, "The History of Missouri’s Constitution," accessed March 30, 2014
- ↑ University of Missouri - Kansas City Libraries, "LaBudde Special Collections, Missouri Constitution Collection," accessed May 9, 2014
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