Kraus: Veto Session

Each year, the Missouri Constitution requires the Legislature to meet for at least a day in September to consider overriding the governor’s vetoes of bills passed in the previous regular session. This veto session can be very brief if the governor has not vetoed any bills, if lawmakers choose not to override any of the governor’s vetoes, or if the General Assembly does not have the votes to overturn a veto.

It takes a two-thirds vote of both the Senate and House to override a veto. The process is part of the constitutional checks and balances that are in place to maintain a balance of power between the governor’s office and the Legislature.

Veto session took place on Wednesday, Sept. 14, placing it in the middle of the special session called by the governor to deal with issues such as economic development.

This time around, the General Assembly did not attempt to override any of the governor’s vetoes. I was disappointed that no attempt was made to reverse the veto on SB 282, a bill that offered several changes in election law. Part of that bill contained an amendment I offered during the regular session that removed June from the state election calendar, which would have saved taxpayer money. This bill also moved the Missouri primary election from the first Tuesday after the first Monday in February to the same day in March, a month later. However, a bill has been introduced during special session which contains that presidential primary change.

Veto session is not the only time we can override a veto, though. You may remember that we overrode the governor’s veto of the General Assembly’s congressional redistricting map during our regular session. Doing so saved Missouri’s congressional districts from being decided by the court system. This is the first time since I have been in the Legislature that we have overridden a gubernatorial veto. The last time a veto override was done was in 2003; three vetoes were overturned — HB 349 on conceal and carry laws, HB 156 calling for a 24-hour waiting period for abortions, and SB13, having to do with lawsuits against manufacturers.

With veto session over and done, I look forward to finishing up the work we have to do in special session.

Town Hall Meeting

On Thursday, Sept. 29, Rep. Jeannie Lauer, R-Blue Springs, and I will be hosting a town hall meeting in Blue Springs from 6:00 p.m. to 7:30 p.m. at the Blue Springs Country Club on 1600 NW Circle Drive.

The focus of the town hall will be to provide information on the legislative special session and veto session and to discuss the emphasis for the upcoming 2012 regular session. In addition, Blue Springs Councilmen Dale Carter, Jeff Quibell, Chris Lievsay and Kent Edmondson will be in attendance to discuss local issues.

These town hall meetings are important to me because they give me the opportunity to interact on a personal level with the constituents of the 8^th Senatorial District. It is a vital way to keep members of the local community up-to-date on activities within the Capitol and upcoming issues and events. I look forward to speaking with concerned citizens and addressing any questions they might have.

I hope to see you there!