Two bills recently vetoed by Governor Nixon are on the table for the Missouri General Assembly. Republicans are seeking to overthrow the governor's vetoes on two separate bills dealing with tax cuts and gun control.
House Bill 253 is a tax cut proposal for individuals, business owners, and corporations. The bill seeks to make Missouri more competitive with Kansas and to a more tax-friendly state. Governor Nixon vetoed House Bill 253 because he said it would gut funding for education and social services.
House Bill 436, also known as the Gun Nullification Bill, declares any federal gun-control laws that interfere with Missouri Second Amendment rights are null and void. It also says that federal officers could be charged with a misdemeanor for enforcing federal gun laws within Missouri. Governor Nixon vetoed the bill because he found it unconstitutional. Is it legal? "That's for a judge to say," says Marshall Griffin, St. Louis Public Radio State House Reporter.
Both the House and the Senate have Republican majorities. The Missouri House has exactly a two-thirds majority with 109 Republicans, whereas the Senate has a more veto proof majority with 24 Republicans out of 34 total seats. If either of these bills get overthrown in the house, they have an even better chance of being overthrown as well in the Senate. However, officials say that the chances of House Bill 253 being overthrown are slim.
Guest:
- Marshall Griffin | State House Reporter for St. Louis Public Radio
