JEFFERSON CITY — In what could foreshadow a lengthy filibuster in the Missouri Senate this spring, Republican lawmakers Monday outlined their plans to make it harder for citizens to change the state’s constitution.

Fueled by the November vote in favor of repealing Missouri’s abortion ban, the GOP group pitched legislation to members of the Senate Local Government, Elections and Pensions Committee that would raise the threshold for placing questions on the ballot.

And, to varying degrees, the different proposals also would make the questions that do get on the ballot harder to win approval.

“I want to have rural Missouri have more of a say in what goes on the ballot,” said Republican Sen. Jason Bean, a Bootheel region cotton farmer.

Denise Lieberman, director of the Missouri Voter Protection Coalition, said the proposals would “create an unfair system” where rural votes carry more weight than urban voters.

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Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern, D-Kansas City, said some of the changes being considered would make it virtually impossible to change the constitution.

Republicans have been pressing for changes after voters approved a number of progressive ballot questions in recent years, while at the same time putting Republicans in control of all levers of government.

Along with lifting a ban on abortion in November, Missouri voters in recent years have agreed to increase the minimum wage, expand Medicaid and legalize recreational marijuana.

Under current law, any constitutional amendment takes effect when approved by a simple majority of the votes cast on the measure. Many of the recent questions that won approval have been heavily supported in the state’s blue-leaning urban population centers, while not faring as well in Missouri’s red rural regions.

“I do think there is a little something to the rural-versus-urban divide,” said Sen, Mike Henderson, R-Bonne Terre.

A plan sponsored by Sen. Jill Carter, R-Granby, would require that voters pass it statewide, but also in six of the state’s eight U.S. congressional districts.

And one from Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, would require overall statewide approval, but also a simple majority of the votes cast in the majority of Missouri's 163 state representative districts.