VOICES OF GOVERNMENT

Legislators made their way back to Jefferson City this week for their annual veto session. As required by the Missouri Constitution, members of the House and Senate meet each year in September to consider bills that were vetoed by the governor.

The veto session provides legislators with the opportunity to override the governor’s vetoes and put a bill into effect as law despite the governor’s objections. A successful override requires the support of a two-thirds majority in each chamber.

In the history of the state, the legislature has successfully overridden 119 vetoes. Of those overrides, 49 have been on budget line-items and 70 have been on non-appropriations bills. Prior to the administration of Gov. Jay Nixon, veto overrides had been extremely rare with the legislature completing a total of only 22 overrides in its history. During Nixon’s eight years in office from 2009 - 2017, the number of veto overrides increased dramatically as the Missouri General Assembly overrode 97 of his vetoes.

For the 2022 veto session, members of the House and Senate had three vetoed House bills and one vetoed Senate Bill to consider, as well as line-item vetoes in eight appropriations bills. House and Senate members chose not to attempt any veto overrides on the first day of veto session, but are scheduled to continue the session next week when they would still have the opportunity to consider override motions. Under the Missouri Constitution, the veto session cannot exceed ten calendar days in length.

Special Session Begins

While legislators were in Jefferson City for the regularly-scheduled veto session, they also convened a special session called by Gov. Mike Parson. Parson has asked legislators to consider legislation that would make historic income tax cuts and extend key agriculture tax credit programs.

After the conclusion of the 2022 regular session, Parson vetoed both a tax relief measure and a bill to renew key programs that support and promote Missouri agriculture. In vetoing the bills, Parson said he preferred permanent tax relief and longer extensions for the agriculture tax credit programs. On August 22, he issued the official call for a special session to address both issues.

While Parson originally called for the special session to begin September 6, lawmakers delayed the start while they worked to find common ground on the issues outlined by the governor.

The governor’s proposed tax plan would reduce the individual income tax rate, increase the standard deduction, and further simplify the tax code. His plan also includes the extension and creation of several agriculture tax credit programs intended to help develop key areas of Missouri's agricultural industry. The sunset for each program would be for a minimum of six years.

Lawmakers now plan to meet next week to hold public hearings and discuss legislation that will provide substantive tax relief and support Missouri agriculture.

As always, please do not hesitate to contact me anytime with your questions or thoughts on this, or on any other issue. My Capitol office phone number is 573.751.2264, and my email is Ron.Copeland@house.mo.gov. It’s an honor and privilege to serve as your representative in the Missouri General Assembly.