SECOND REGULAR SESSION
SENATE JOINT RESOLUTION NO. 51
90TH GENERAL ASSEMBLY
INTRODUCED BY SENATORS FLOTRON, HOUSE, YECKEL, EHLMANN AND STEELMAN.
Read 1st time January 24, 2000, and 1,000 copies ordered printed.
TERRY L. SPIELER, Secretary.
3820S.02I
JOINT RESOLUTION
Submitting to the qualified voters of Missouri, an amendment to article III of the Constitution of Missouri, by adding thereto one new section relating to powers of the general assembly to appropriate funds received by the state as a result of any legal settlement or award related to tobacco-related products.
That at the next general election to be held in the state of Missouri, on Tuesday next following the first Monday in November, 2000, or at a special election to be called by the governor for that purpose, there is hereby submitted to the qualified voters of this state, for adoption or rejection, the following amendment to article III of the Constitution of the state of Missouri:
Section A. Article III, Constitution of Missouri, is amended by adding thereto one new section, to be known as section 38(e), to read as follows:
Section 38(e). 1. Any funds received by the state as a result of any legal settlement or award related to tobacco-related products shall be deposited in a special trust fund to be known as the "Tobacco Settlement Trust Fund", which is hereby created in the state treasury. Such fund shall be held in perpetuity. Interest accruing to the tobacco settlement trust fund shall be available for appropriation by the general assembly. The principal of the tobacco settlement trust fund may only be used if the emergency conditions set forth in section 19 of article X of this constitution are met.
2. It is hereby declared the policy of this state to provide and promote alternative to abortion services for women with crisis pregnancies or unplanned pregnancies. The general assembly shall appropriate from the tobacco settlement trust fund two percent of the moneys available for appropriation pursuant to subsection 1 of this section to the "Missouri Alternatives to Abortion Support Fund", which is hereby created in the state treasury. Moneys in the Missouri alternatives to abortion support fund obtained from all sources shall be used for alternative to abortion services, entities that provide such services and for such other purposes established by law. The "Missouri Respect Life Commission", which is hereby created, shall administer and disburse moneys in the Missouri alternatives to abortion support fund. The general assembly shall establish by law the composition, powers and duties of the commission and the qualifications of the members of the commission. As used in this section, "alternative to abortion services" means services or counseling offered to a woman with a crisis pregnancy or unplanned pregnancy to assist her in carrying her unborn child to term instead of having an abortion, and to assist her in caring for her dependent child or placing her child for adoption.
3. The general assembly shall enact such laws as are necessary to achieve the purposes of this section.