A plan that supporters say will clean up the citizens right to petition government for new laws is under scrutiny at the Capitol. It’s a proposed law that says people soliciting petition signatures must live in Missouri. They cannot be paid by the signature. And any individual or group submitting a proposal to the Secretary of State to get approval for circulation must put up a 500-dollar deposit. The deposit will be returned if the petition is certified for circulation.

Supporters say the bill would give citizens more faith and confidence in the petition process.

But opponents argue courts have thrown out residency and per-signature payment bans in other states.

A Senate committee is considering the proposal.

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