Learning from the example of others is sound advice for lawmakers because it may eliminate the pitfalls of learning from experience.
In this forum in January, we suggested Missouri learn from the experience in other states regarding marijuana legalization.
We renew that suggestion regarding photo ID requirements for voters.
The Missouri House last week advanced to the Senate two measures that would require voters to show photo identification at polling places.
As in the case with marijuana laws, Missouri is neither the only state nor the lead state in addressing photo ID mandates.
According to an Associated Press story published Saturday: "The debut of new (photo ID) laws in a few smaller-scale elections over the last year has already exposed some problems, such as mismatched names, confusion over absentee voting provisions and rules that require voters to travel great distances to obtain proper documentation."
More experience will be revealed as 10 additional states implement photo ID in elections ranging from today in Texas through early September elsewhere.
This is precisely how the concept of federalism, outlined in the U.S. Constitution's 10th Amendment, is designed to work. The amendment says that powers not granted to or withheld from the federal government belong to the respective states, or the people.
The instructive nature of federalism was recognized by former U.S. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis, who popularized the idea that, under federalism, a "state may, if its citizens choose, serve as a laboratory; and try novel social and economic experiments without risk to the rest of the country."
Other states are serving as laboratories experimenting with photo ID laws.
Why does Missouri not wait patiently and learn from those other states' examples? Why the rush to a pass a proposal that may be prone to problems already identified or yet to be discovered this year by other states?
We have concerns about photo ID proposals, including the potential confusion that may be caused by provisional ballots.
In our January opinion regarding marijuana legalization, we concluded: "Rarely has a more compelling argument existed for Missouri to adopt a wait-and-see approach. With test cases elsewhere, proceeding with a potentially dangerous experiment here would be hasty, risky and foolish."
Regarding photo ID, let's learn from example, not potentially painful experience.