KANSAS CITY, Mo. — The spotlight is on Jefferson City as the Missouri Senate is set to start debate on a new congressional map.
KSHB 41 has been hearing from viewers who want to know what can voters do if the redistricting bill passes the Senate.
Missouri does have a way for voters to challenge a law before it takes effect, but the window to act is short.
HB 1 passed on Tuesday with 90 votes in favor of the bill and 65 votes against the bill.
The Senate will take up the bill before it can become law with Governor Mike Kehoe's signature.
Congressman Emanuel Cleaver II's district would be directly impacted.
He told KSHB 41 Anchor Kevin Holmes why the decision will get push back from voters and in the courts.
"You're gonna see people rallying now and clergy groups coming together, political groups coming together," Congressman Cleaver II said. "I was brought to tears yesterday when I received a phone call from a longtime Republican who said this was not the way this should have gone."
Redrawing congressional districts would split some communities down the middle and experts say the new districts would favor Republican candidates.
Jess Podhola, a delegate for the Greater Kansas City AFL-CIO, thinks there is still a chance that Missouri state senators disagree.
Podhola said: "I hope Missouri state senators see how deeply unpopular this is in every pocket of the state."
After the bill passed the House, Missouri House Minority Leader Ashley Aune said she expects a citizen referendum.
By law, Missouri voters are allowed to enough gather signatures to reject a law before it takes effect.
However, a citizen referendum is different from the initiative petition process, which is being debated as HJR3 or the "Protect Missouri Voters" amendment in the state capitol.
A citizen referendum is used to reject a law that has already been passed.
Lawmakers are trying to reform the initiative petition process, which voters can use to create a new law or constitutional amendment. One example: legalizing marijuana in the state.
If Missouri state senators pass a bill to reform the process, it will still need final approval from voters.
Congressman Cleaver II said: "By no means is this the last this issue will be brought forth."
In 2018, Missouri voters successfully rejected Proposition A from taking effect under Governor Eric Greitens. Podhola was a part of that effort.
She said: "The motto of Missouri is "Let the welfare of the people be the supreme law," and sometimes people have to remind politicians who they work for."
A new congressional map could pass or fail in the Missouri Senate by Friday.
When the legislative session ends, petitioners would have a 90-day window to collect 106,384 signatures — that accounts for 5% of the gubernatorial votes in six of the state's eight congressional districts.
If their efforts are successful, voters will have the final say on redistricting at the polls.
"If the elected officials in Jefferson City will not listen to their constituents, their constituents will make it impossible for them to ignore them," Podhola said.
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KSHB 41 reporter Alyssa Jackson covers portions of Johnson County, including Overland Park, Prairie Village and Leawood. Share your story idea with Alyssa.
