JEFFERSON CITY — In Missouri's legislature, dozens of bills aim to overturn or weaken voter-approved initiatives, such as Amendment 3's enshrinement of abortion rights and Proposition A's minimum wage increase and paid sick leave laws.
The move comes alongside court battles discussing the fate of these key voter issues and has sparked controversy in the Capitol over the power of Missouri voters.
For abortion, more than 20 bills and resolutions have been filed in an effort to make abortion access more difficult or give voters another chance to outright ban the procedure on the 2026 ballot.
For the minimum wage, House lawmakers gave initial approval to a bill that would keep the $15 per hour minimum wage increase, but roll back the voter-approved requirement for employers to offer paid sick leave.
Rep. Carolyn Caton, R- Jackson County, filed a bill that would exclude any worker 21 or younger from receiving the $15 per hour minimum wage.
Her proposed legislation, alongside three others, was rolled into the final House Bill 567.
"We have to be a place that businesses can stay open and that new businesses will want to come to the state of Missouri," Caton said.
In floor debates, Caton and other Republican lawmakers were accused of undermining the will of the people.
Caton argues the situation is more complex, and voters may have been swayed to vote in way she sees as damaging to the state of Missouri.
"The initiative petition process is rather complicated, one that is often influenced by outside resources, which we feel was a very big proponent in Proposition A," Caton said. "Either we should do something to help the small businesses, or we should not, and just let the will of the people take precedence over everything."
In Jackson County, the region Caton represents, 64% of voters approved Proposition A, according to data from the Secretary of State's office. Democratic representatives argued that lawmakers need to listen to their constituents.
Caton said lawmakers need a wider scope.
"It has to be thought through to what is the best for the entire state of Missouri, not just the folks on minimum wage," Caton said. "You may not always like the way we vote, but all I ask is that you consider all options and make sure that you keep an open mind."
State leadership had a similar response.
"I'm very aware that people went to the polls and voted for this," Speaker of the House Jon Patterson said. "We want to keep the minimum wage piece in place. We don't want to delay that. But the onerous burdens of the sick leave part — I think we're compromising with the people and saying this really is not sustainable."
Patterson said this was the way forward as a middle ground between Missouri voters and their lawmakers.
Denise Lieberman, the executive director of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, a lobbying group that highlights voter access and security, said the legislation symbolizes an attack on Missouri's democracy.
"This is an insult to Missouri's voters," Lieberman said. "Lawmakers work for the voters. It's not the other way around."
"What we are seeing are both direct attacks on measures that voters voted for as well as efforts to rig the system so they won't be able to make their voices heard again," Lieberman added.
Still, the bills have found momentum in this year's legislature. The House's change to paid sick leave has been passed to the Senate for amendment.
There will be a final vote before any bill is sent to the governor's desk.
