© 2024 University of Missouri - KBIA
Play Live Radio
Next Up:
0:00
0:00
0:00 0:00
Available On Air Stations

Photo voter ID moving again in Missouri Senate

File photo | Rachel Heidenry | St. Louis Beacon

Democrats in the Missouri Senate have ended their filibuster of a proposal to require photo identification at the polls.

House Bill 1631 was changed to allow voters without a photo ID to cast a regular ballot if they sign a statement, under penalty of perjury, that they are who they say they are. They would also have to present some other form of ID, such as a utility bill.

The bill's Senate handler is Will Kraus, R-Lee's Summit.

"This is nowhere near where I would want it perfectly," Kraus said, "but I think the good piece of legislation is one that both sides walk away (from) and say, 'I'm not happy with exactly the way it looks, but it's something I can live with.'"

Credit File photo | Rachel Heidenry | St. Louis Beacon

Any voter without a photo ID who refuses to sign a statement would instead be allowed to cast a provisional ballot, which would not be counted unless that voter's signature were verified or a valid photo ID provided within three days of the election.

Kraus is seeking the Republican nomination for secretary of state, the office that oversees elections in Missouri.

Democrats stood down from their filibuster because of the changes Kraus made to the bill.

"Is it what we want? Is it perfect? No!" said Sen. Jason Holsman, D-Kansas City. "Are we still going to vote 'no' on it? I can't speak for you, but I'm probably still going to vote 'no' on it ... but (the negotiations) got us to a place where this substitute will disenfranchise less voters that when we started" this debate.

Holsman added, "I can tell you that the Senate functioned properly (with HB 1631), as opposed to how it functioned withSJR39."

He was referring to Senate Republicans' use of the "nuclear option" (the parliamentary move of "calling the previous question" to end debate) to force a vote on SJR 39, which resulted in a near shut-down of the Missouri Senate for nearly a week. That measure, which would have shielded clergy and business owners from being penalized for not providing their services to same-sex weddings, was defeated last week by a House committee.

The Senate has not voted yet on the revised photo ID bill, nor on its companion constitutional amendment, HJR 53, but is expected to sometime this week. Once it passes, it would then go back to the House, which would have to approve the changes made by the Senate.  Missouri voters would need to approve the constitutional amendment before the photo-ID requirement could be imposed.

Follow Marshall Griffin on Twitter:  @MarshallGReport

Copyright 2021 St. Louis Public Radio. To see more, visit St. Louis Public Radio.

Missouri Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a proud alumnus of the University of Mississippi (a.k.a., Ole Miss), and has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off the old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Mason, and their cat, Honey.
Marshall Griffin
St. Louis Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a native of Mississippi and proud alumnus of Ole Miss (welcome to the SEC, Mizzou!). He has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off an old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Liberty Belle, and their cat, Honey.