Results of MO amendments vote

Missouri voters headed to the polls for a primary election on Tuesday, Aug. 5. There were some important constitutional amendments voters had to decide. Here is the exact wording from the Missouri Secretary of State's Office. http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/2014ballot/

Election results can also be found here: http://www.kfvs12.com/link/489411/election-results-missouri-primary-election

Missouri Constitutional Amendment No. 1: "Right to Farm"

Opponents of Missouri's Right to Farm constitutional amendment are weighing a recount request after the measure appeared to pass by the slimmest of margins.

The measure voters saw on their ballot reads as follows:

"Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to ensure that the right of Missouri citizens to engage in agricultural production and ranching practices shall not be infringed?

The potential costs or savings to governmental entities are unknown, but likely limited unless the resolution leads to increased litigation costs and/or the loss of federal funding."

The measure asked voters to decide if farmers and ranchers have the right to continue farming and producing food for others.

If approved, it means the constitution will be amended to guarantee Missourians the right to work their land and raise their cattle.

If it does not pass, the constitution will stay the way it is.

The ballot measure is a heavily debated issue.

Supporters of the amendment said it would protect them from government regulation that limits what they have been doing for years.

"I've raised beef cattle probably for the last 40 years. So I've had all the hands on experience and I really don't need someone telling me how to raise cattle," cattleman Terry Miller said.

Other groups, like Missouri's Food For America said this amendment will keep local governments from stopping foreign companies from polluting and contaminating the land.

This measure is expected to have no impact on taxes.

Missouri Constitutional Amendment No. 5: "Keep and bear arms"

Missourians voted to strengthen the state's gun rights law when they headed to the polls on Tuesday, Aug. 5.

This ballot measure reads as follows:

"Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to include a declaration that the right to keep and bear arms is an unalienable right and that the state government is obligated to uphold that right?"

Currently, the U.S. Constitution grants American's the ability to keep and bear arms.

Missouri state law also protects that right.

Essentially, voters were asked to decide if this right to keep and carry guns should be an "unalienable right" just like American's rights to life and liberty.

That would mean the right is impossible to take away and if it was challenged in court, this amendment would give Missourian's the highest level of legal protection.

Senator Kurt Schaefer, a supporter of the change, says if passed, Missouri would have the strongest gun rights in the country.

Others say it would make it tough to regulate guns and violent criminals.

A "yes" vote would amend the constitution to expand gun rights.

A "no" vote would keep the constitution the way it is.

This measure is expected to have no impact on taxes.

Missouri Constitutional Amendment No. 7: Transportation Tax

(KFVS) - Missourians voted on the Aug. 5 ballot they did not want to see an increase in sales tax to repair and improve the state's roads and highways.

That means a tax would not be added on every day items. However, there will be no extra money put toward transportation projects.

The ballot measure read as follows:

"Should the Missouri Constitution be changed to enact a temporary sales tax of three-quarters of one percent to be used solely to fund state and local highways, roads, bridges and transportation projects for ten years, with priority given to repairing unsafe roads and bridges?

This change is expected to produce $480 million annually to the state's Transportation Safety and Job Creation Fund and $54 million for local governments. Increases in the gas tax will be prohibited. This revenue shall only be used for transportation purposes and cannot be diverted for other uses."

The measure asked voters to decide if they want to increase the statewide sales tax by 3/4 of a cent for 10 years.

The money from the increase would be used solely for transportation projects, like improving roads and highways, bridges and public transit.

Right now, Missouri's sales tax stands at 4.225 percent.

The tax would've gone up by 3/4 a cent.

According to the Missouri Department of Transportation, the measure would've provided $480 million annually for transportation improvements.

The sales tax increase would not have impacted the price of medicine, gasoline or groceries. It would have increased the price on typical every day items.

Some of the projects the money would have gone to in the Heartland include:

$25 million to replace the I-55 overpass at Bloomfield Road in Cape Girardeau,
$43 million to add lanes to Route 67 in Poplar Bluff going toward Arkansas,$62 million to add lanes to Route 412 in Kennett.

Voters have rejected a ballot measure that would have created a Missouri Lottery scratch-off ticket with net proceeds designated to help veterans.

Historically, proceeds from the Missouri lottery have helped fund education; however, if it is passed, Missouri Constitutional Amendment No. 8 could expand that.

The ballot measure reads as follows:

"Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended to create a 'Veterans Lottery Ticket' and to use the revenue from the sale of these tickets for projects and services related to veterans?

The annual cost or savings to state and local governmental entities is unknown, but likely minimal. If sales of a veterans lottery ticket game decrease existing lottery ticket sales, the profits of which fund education, there could be a small annual shift in funding from education to veterans' programs."

It's asking voters to decide if a new lottery ticket should be created to fund projects and services related to veterans.

A "yes" vote would mean you want this type of lottery ticket to be developed.

That would allot 25 cents of every dollar spent on the ticket to the Missouri Veterans Commission.

A "no" vote would not allow the creation of a new ticket.

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Missourians voted yes to amend the Missouri Constitution to specify that electronic data and communications have the same privacy protections as your home and personal belongings.

Official ballot language:

"Shall the Missouri Constitution be amended so that the people shall be secure in their electronic communications and data from unreasonable searches and seizures as they are now likewise secure in their persons, homes, papers and effects?

State and local governmental entities expect no significant costs or savings."

Essentially, it asked voters to decide if things like your text messages and emails should be treated the same as their personal belongings or homes.

The yes vote will amend the Missouri Constitution to require police to have a warrant to access a person's electronic data.

It will also make it so information like conceal and carry licenses can't be sent to the federal government or other third parties.

The fourth amendment of the U.S. Constitution currently protects people from unreasonable searches and seizures.

However, this amendment is making it so that electronic data and communications have the same protections from unreasonable searches and seizures as persons, papers, homes and effects.

This measure will have no impact on taxes, nor do state and local governments expect any costs or savings from the bill.