Recapping the 2021 Veto Session
State lawmakers returned to the State Capitol on Wednesday, Sept. 15, for our annual veto session. This usually day-long session provides the General Assembly the opportunity to consider overturning any of the governor’s vetoes on legislation from the regular legislative session earlier in the year. In order to do this, however, at least two-thirds of both the Missouri House of Representatives and the Missouri Senate must approve of the override motion.
This year, several bills were vetoed by the governor. One vetoed bill was Senate Bill 226, which would have provided certain businesses impacted by COVID-19 health orders a tax credit. Another was House Bill 685, modifying provisions relating to the duties and qualifications of certain public officers. House Bill 362, regarding public records laws, was vetoed for conflicting with a recent Missouri Supreme Court ruling. Meanwhile, House Bill 661, a transportation omnibus bill was vetoed in part due to concerns it could take us out of compliance with federal emission regulations. Luckily, many of the other provisions contained in HB 661 were included in a several other pieces of legislation the governor did sign into law. Lastly, there were also a series of line-item vetoes totaling around $115 million made to the roughly $35 billion state budget.
In the end, no vetoes on standalone bills were overturned by the Legislature. The Missouri House did vote to override the governor’s vetoes on several budget items. When these items came over to the Senate for consideration, however, they failed to muster the support of two-thirds of the chamber in order to go into effect.
As always, it is an honor to serve the 6th Senatorial District. If my office can be service to you, please feel free to contact us at (573) 751-2076. For information about my committee assignments or sponsored legislation, please visit my official Missouri Senate website at senate.mo.gov/Bernskoetter.