JEFFERSON CITY — On Aug. 21, the governor announced he was calling lawmakers back to the State Capitol to address an issue surrounding the trading and selling of vehicles. It has been the current practice of our state to allow citizens to sell multiple vehicles to offset the sales tax obligation of a new vehicle purchase. However, this practice came into question when the plaintiff in the Kehlenbrink v. Director of Revenue case sold four cars and wanted to use tax credits generated from the sale to offset their tax bill from the purchase a new vehicle.
On June 25, the courts ruled that only one vehicle could be used as an allowance toward fulfilling the tax obligation associated with the purchase of a new vehicle. I support the governor’s decision to call lawmakers back into session because it is important that we are continuously working to ensure that our state laws are clear, and to proactively save tax payers money on future vehicle sales.
The extraordinary session will run concurrently with the Missouri General Assembly’s annual veto session, scheduled for Sept. 11.
VETO SESSION
According to the Missouri Constitution, the Missouri General Assembly is required to return to the State Capitol on the first Wednesday during the second week of September to consider any bills vetoed by the governor. This summer, the governor vetoed six bills out of the nearly 100 pieces of legislation passed by the General Assembly during the 2019 legislative session. These include:
- Senate Bill 147 contained a partial repeal of the state’s helmet law for motorcyclists.
- Senate Bill 202 aims to address mining royalties on federal lands; the governor vetoed this bill citing a conflict with federal law.
- Senate Bill 282 and House Bill 447 involved the disposition of human remains and coroners respectively. These bills were vetoed due to provisions that allow for outdoor cremations, also known as “Viking funerals.”
- Senate Bill 414 created a taskforce seeking a waiver to change the Affordable Care Act. Without an emergency clause allowing the taskforce to immediately go to work, the governor did not believe it would have enough time to conduct its research. The governor has since created the taskforce through an executive order.
- House Bill 399 was vetoed due to additional requirements and restrictions placed on the Department of Health and Senior Services. Much of the bill’s other provisions were passed in other bills and signed into law.
The General Assembly can take up any of these bills and attempt to overturn the governor’s actions during the annual veto session. If both chambers agree, the legislation will become law, otherwise it will remained vetoed. Under the Missouri Constitution, the veto session cannot exceed a 10 day period. I am confident that lawmakers will be able to come to a reasonable compromise on the priorities that matter most to people of Missouri.
Please feel free to contact me in Jefferson City at (573) 751-7985. You may also email me at cindy.olaughlin@senate.mo.gov.