JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The Missouri General Assembly is set to convene for this year’s veto session on September 16 – otherwise known in the Missouri Constitution as “the first Wednesday following the second Monday in September.”
Two bills have already been overriden by the legislature during this regular session, leaving 17 bills to be considered by the chambers for override.
UPDATE: Information provided by the Governor’s website regarding legislative action has been deemed inaccurate.
One hundred thirty-four bills were passed by the chambers this year, a number that includes all bills, concurrent resolutions, joint resolutions, resolutions, and revision bills. The number is not much lower than recent years, nor the lowest that Nixon has seen sent to his desk.
A document provided by the senate shows that recent years have been particularly productive for the legislature. Last year, the general assembly overrode 11 bill and 47 line item vetoes. In 2013, 10 bills and one item were also overriden.
Both chambers currently have safe supermajorities. The house needs 109 votes to override, while the senate needs 23.
Bills for consideration include bills addressing student transfers, “Right to Work,” unemployment compensation, and the “Bag Bill.” In the second general assembly with a Republican supermajority, it is rumored that there is a good possibility at least two more bills may see overrides.
MAJORITIES AND LEADERSHIP
#As of general election
##As of August 27, 2015
###Including one independent
ALL VETOED BILLS – 2015
| Legislation | Summary |
| HB 42 | Establishes a system of school accreditation by building rather than by district and establishes standards for student transfers 06/26/2015: Vetoed by Governor Nixon |
| HB 63 | Exempts certain political races from provisions specifying how candidates must be nominated 04/03/2015: Vetoed by Governor Nixon 04/08/2015: General Assembly voted to override veto |
| HB 116 | Prohibits an employer from requiring a person to become a member of a labor organization as a condition or continuation of employment 06/04/2015: Vetoed by Governor Nixon |
| HB 150 | Modifies the duration of unemployment compensation, the method to pay federal advances, and raises the fund trigger causing contribution rate reductions 05/05/2015: Vetoed by Governor Nixon |
| HB 326 | Specifies that each defined benefit pension plan must establish a board member education program 07/10/2015: Vetoed by Governor Nixon |
| HB 618 | Changes the laws regarding the disposition of human remains 07/10/2015: Vetoed by Governor Nixon |
| HB 629 | Changes the laws regarding public retirement systems 07/07/2015: Vetoed by Governor Nixon |
| HB 722 | Allows all merchants to provide customers with a choice between paper and plastic bags 07/10/2015: Vetoed by Governor Nixon |
| HB 799 | Moves the 12th Division of the 16th Judicial Circuit Court from the City of Kansas City to the City of Independence 07/10/2015: Vetoed by Governor Nixon |
| HB 878 | Specifies that the Department of Public Safety must have the authority to commission corporate security advisors and establishes procedures to do so 07/10/2015: Vetoed by Governor Nixon |
| HB 1022 | Authorizes a return of premiums paid by insureds 07/10/2015: Vetoed by Governor Nixon |
| HB 1098 | Changes the laws regarding trust companies 07/07/2015: Vetoed by Governor Nixon |
| SB 20 | Creates a sales and use tax exemption for materials and utilities used by commercial laundries 07/10/2015: Vetoed by Governor Nixon |
| SB 24 | Modifies provisions of law relating to the Temporary Assistance for Needy Families program and Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program 04/30/2015: Vetoed by Governor Nixon 05/05/2015: General Assembly voted to override veto |
| SB 67 | Authorizes certain court surcharges, Buchanan County to establish a county municipal court, certain circuits with a SORTS facility to appoint a court marshal, requires certain reporting regarding municipal courts and modifies procedure in landlord tenant cases 07/10/2015: Vetoed by Governor Nixon |
| SB 142 | Requires the Department of Natural Resources to take certain actions when submitting plans the Environmental Protection Agency 07/10/2015: Vetoed by Governor Nixon |
| SB 224 | Requires a student to be a United States citizen or permanent resident in order to be eligible to receive reimbursements from the A+ Schools Program 07/11/2015: Vetoed by Governor Nixon |
| SB 345 | Increases fees imposed by the Director of the Division of Finance 07/07/2015: Vetoed by Governor Nixon |
UPDATE: A previous version of this story shared legislative action records from the Governor’s Office currently show 2 overrides from 2014 and one override for each of the three years before. The Governor’s Office has been approached for clarification.
Rachael Herndon was the editor at The Missouri Times and also produced This Week in Missouri Politics, published Missouri Times Magazine, and co-hosted the #MoLeg podcast. She joined The Missouri Times in 2014, returning to political reporting after working as a campaign and legislative staffer.
Rachael studied at the University of Missouri – Columbia. She lives in Jefferson City with her husband, Brandon, and their two children.
