Senator attempts to amend photo ID bill

By James Patrick Schmidt

Published March 9, 2007

A year after the Missouri General Assembly and the Missouri Supreme Court weighed in on a voter identification bill, one senator wants to give the citizens of Missouri a chance to vote on it.

Sen. Delbert Scott, R-Lowry City, who introduced the voter ID bill last session, submitted legislation that would amend the state Constitution to require a photo ID to vote in the 2008 general election, if it is passed by the citizens of Missouri.

Last year, the Supreme Court ruled that the bill was unconstitutional because in effect, it was a poll tax. The bill required that each voter have a government-issued photo ID, which can only be acquired if a citizen can prove residency with a document such as a birth certificate.

The bill provided for a free state non-driver's license to qualifying citizens but did not cover the cost of acquiring a birth certificate if necessary.

The court's opinion stated that the bill was not narrowly tailored, a requirement for suffrage-related legislation.

Scott said he thinks an amendment would address the court's concerns.

"It wouldn't reverse the opinion," he said. "It would clarify in the constitution that you can have a photo identification requirement."

Scott said he hasn't decided if he will push for the legislation, but he has submitted it so that it is a possibility.

"We have a strict constitution and a strict statute on documentation and this would allow Missouri voters to decide if they want a photo ID, and if they want a constitutional amendment to do it," Scott said.