On Wednesday, Sept. 14, members of the Missouri General Assembly will return to Jefferson City for the annual veto session, where we will have the opportunity to reconsider bills that have been vetoed by the governor and attempt to override any of the vetoes if we choose. A successful veto override requires approval by a two-thirds majority in each chamber, which is 23 votes in the Senate and 109 votes in the House.
Excluding budget bills, the governor returned 23 measures passed during the 2016 session. Prior to session adjourning in May, Missouri legislators had already voted to override the governor’s veto of two measures, Senate Bill 586, relating to school funding and early childhood education, and Senate Concurrent Resolution 46, relating to the Personal Care Attendant Wage Range; the override attempt of House Bill 1891 failed in the Senate. The measure sought to prohibit any public employee from being required to pay dues or other fees to a labor organization.
I plan on making a motion to override the governor’s veto on two measures I believe are right for Missouri and our citizens. Senate Bill 1025, which I sponsored, seeks to restore instructional classes given at dance studios, gymnastics facilities and other fitness facilities to the same designation as educational classes — the classification they held before the DOR reinterpreted a sales tax law in 2008. And provided the House successfully overrides the veto, I will also make a motion to override on House Bill 1631, which I carried in the Senate. House Bill 1631 implements a photo identification requirement for voters; if overridden, HB 1631 will only go into effect if voters approve its companion referendum, House Joint Resolution 35, in November.
Several other vetoed measures state lawmakers are expected to take up next week include:
Senate Bill 591, which aligns Missouri’s outdated standards for admitting testimony by expert witnesses in civil cases with the federal standard;
- Senate Bill 656, which allows Missourians to use deadly force in public spaces to protect themselves or others from physical threats and enacts what is known as “constitutional carry,” enabling Missouri citizens who are legally allowed to possess a firearm to carry a concealed firearm without first having to obtain a state permit; and
- Senate Bill 847, which aims to restore fairness to personal injury litigation by allowing awards in personal injury lawsuits to be based on the actual cost of medical services rendered instead of the estimated value.
A complete list of vetoed bills can be found by clicking here or by visiting www.senate.mo.gov and clicking on “Governor’s Action on Truly Agreed Bills” under the Legislation tab.
Remembering Those We Lost on Sept. 11
It is hard to believe this Sunday marks the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks. Just as Pearl Harbor did in 1941, the devastating events of Sept. 11, 2001, forever changed our nation, altering not only the course of our history, but that of the global community’s as well.
I am proud to say I was able to know and serve alongside the brave military men and women who took up our nation’s cause after 9/11. As I deployed with the first wave of troops into Iraq, I knew our mission was much larger than just protecting our shores. We had a responsibility to fight back against terrorism at all levels. It is a fight that continues today.
While the events of Sept. 11, 2001, will go on shaping U.S. and world policies and politics for many years to come, this Sunday will be a day for somber remembrance. As a nation, we will pause to remember the nearly 3,000 Americans who lost their lives that day. We will take time to comfort the parents, spouses and children who lost loved ones, and we will honor the firefighters, paramedics, police officers and others who bravely responded to the horrific scenes unfolding before their eyes.
On Sunday, I ask everyone to dedicate a few moments of your time to all the Americans who lost their lives on 9/11 and in service to our nation in the months and years that followed. Most importantly, be grateful for the freedoms we continue to be blessed with and remember all those who paid the ultimate sacrifice on our behalf.