Five constitutional amendments up for consideration

Nevada Daily Mail

The five issues on the ballot in today's primary involve farming, arms, sales tax, veterans' lottery and privacy.

Missouri Constitutional Amendment 1 asks "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?"

According to the secretary of state's website, the potential costs or savings to the government are unknown, but likely limited, unless the resolution leads to increased litigation costs and/or the loss of federal funding. The measure will have no impact on taxes.

The amendment looks to create a measure of protection for Missouri farms in case of regulations. If passed, it will modify the state constitution to ensure farming and ranching is a fundamental right.

Constitutional Amendment 5 serves much the same purpose, asking "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?"

If passed, the amendment expands the right to keep and bear arms to include ammunition and related accessories for such arms and removes the language that states the right to keep and bear arms does not justify the wearing of concealed weapons. This amendment does not prevent the legislature from limiting the rights of certain felons and certain individuals adjudicated as having a mental disorder.

State and local governmental entities should have no direct costs or savings from this proposal, according to the secretary of state's website. However, the proposal's passage may lead to increased litigation and criminal justice related costs. The measure will have no impact on taxes.

"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 10 years, with priority given to repairing unsafe roads and bridges?" asks the Constitutional Amendment 7.

The measure increases funding for state, county, and municipal street, road, bridge, highway, and public transportation initiatives by increasing the state sales/use tax by three-quarters of one percent for 10 years. This amendment further prohibits a change in gasoline taxes and prohibits toll roads or bridges. This amendment also requires re-approval by voters every 10 years.

This change is expected to produce $480 million annually for the state's Transportation Safety and Job Creation Fund and $54 million for local governments, according to the secretary of state website. Increases in the gas tax will be prohibited. This revenue shall only be used for transportation purposes and cannot be diverted for other uses. If passed, this measure will increase the state sales/use tax.

Constitutional Amendment 8 would create a "Veterans Lottery Ticket" and to use the revenue from the sale of these tickets for projects and services related to veterans.

According to the secretary of state's website, the annual cost or savings to state and local government is unknown, but likely minimal. If sales of a veteran's lottery ticket decrease the existing lottery ticket sales, the profits of which fund education, there could be a shift in funding from education to veterans' programs. There will be no impact on taxes.

The last amendment, Constitutional Amendment 9 asks "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?"

This measure means electronic data and communications have the same protections from unreasonable searches and seizures as persons, papers, homes, and effects.

State and local governmental entities expect no significant costs, significant savings or impact on taxes, according to the secretary of state website.

You can find the full texts of the amendments at http://www.sos.mo.gov/elections/2014ballot/