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Mo. House Gives 1st-Round Approval To Photo Voter I.D. Legislation

The Missouri House has given first-round approval to a pair of bills that would institute photo ID requirements for voters.

UPI/Bill Greenblatt /

The first, House Joint Resolution 5 , would amend the state constitution to allow lawmakers to pass a photo ID requirement, and the second, House Bill 48, would enact that requirement.  Floor debate became heated on several occasions, and arguments split exactly down party lines, with no defectors from either side.  One of the strongest condemnations came from Democrat and longtime veteran lawmaker Chris Kelly of Columbia.

“Jim Crow is alive in this room today," Kelly said.  "This is the single most immoral act that I’ve ever seen happen in my time in the General Assembly.”

State Representative Genise Montecillo (D, St. Louis) said she was embarrassed that House members were even discussing legislation that would deny segments of Missouri’s population of their right to vote.

“And most of all, I don’t envy you having to explain it to your Maker when you meet your Maker, and we will all meet our Maker someday," Montecillo said.

That comment brought groans from the Republicans, and a retort from State Representative Noel Torpey (R, Independence):  “Listen, if I’m going to hell, it’s not because of the vote I take today!”

Torpey added:  “We’re not disenfranchising anyone…this is a simple (effort) to just prevent voter fraud…if they don’t show identification, how do you prove it?”

Two Democrats voted for HJR 5:   Vicki Englund of Tesson and Ira Anders of Independence – but they returned to the fold and voted “no” on HB 48.  Both bills need one more vote before going to the Missouri Senate.

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.
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