The Missouri Constitution requires the General Assembly to meet annually in September for the sole purpose of considering bills that received the governor’s veto. This year’s veto session will commence at noon on Wednesday, Sept. 14. The governor vetoed 23 of the roughly 150 measures passed by lawmakers during the 2016 session, which adjourned on May 13.
While still in the regular session, state lawmakers successfully voted to override two vetoed bills, but failed to garner enough votes on a third override attempt. This leaves 20 vetoed measures that can be reconsidered and overridden.
Constitutionally, veto session cannot exceed 10 calendar days. Each vetoed bill must first be taken up in the chamber where it originated, and it takes a two-thirds majority vote in both chambers to override the governor’s veto — that comes out to 23 votes in the Senate and 109 votes in the House. A complete list of vetoed bills can be found by visiting www.senate.mo.gov and clicking on “Governor’s Action on Truly Agreed Bills” under the Legislation tab.
Sunday marked the 15th anniversary of the 9/11 terrorist attacks, and Americans all across the United States, along with many of our friends and allies around the world, paused to remember the nearly 3,000 men, women and children who lost their lives on Sept. 11, 2001. Whether during solemn ceremonies or in silent prayer, we honored them and the brave men and women who fought to keep our borders and citizens safe and who died in selfless sacrifice to our nation.
As state senator for the 21st Senatorial District, which is home to Whiteman Air Force Base and thousands of military personnel and their families, we feel the full weight behind everything 9/11 and the ensuing wars in Iraq and Afghanistan have come to mean and represent. On Sunday, my thoughts and prayers were with each and every one of our service personnel and their families, as well as all those who lost a loved one on that fateful Tuesday morning in September, 15 years ago. May we never forget the lives of those lost that day.
As always, please feel free to contact me or my staff with any questions or concerns at any time. We look forward to hearing your comments and suggestions and trying to answer any questions you may have. You can reach us by phone at 866-277-0882 (toll-free) or (573) 751-2272, or by fax at (573) 526-7381.
Senator David Pearce serves Caldwell, Carroll, Howard, Johnson, Lafayette, Livingston, Ray and Saline counties in the 21st State Senatorial District.