Governor Nixon refuses to disclose what he will do with Senate Bill 113 during a brief meeting with reporters this morning at the Carnahan Memorial Garden.
Nixon prefers to talk about the compromise his administration has reached in talks with Missouri farm groups and animal welfare organizations, rather than discuss whether he will sign or veto the bill approved by the legislature. SB 113 would revise Proposition B approved by voters in November. The compromise outlined by the State Agriculture Department would strengthen the language in SB 113, adding additional requirements for dog breeders. A separate piece of legislation would provide funding.
“My sense is that we’re making solid progress,” Nixon tells reporters after a ceremony at the garden adjacent to the Governor’s Mansion that honored the contributions of Pat Jones and her late husband in creating the Katy Trail. “I think the solution signed off on by the Missouri Humane Society, the animal breeders, the agriculture groups is a solid step forward. And my hope is that that solution is part of the legislation that gets to my desk very quickly.”
The compromise being pushed by the Nixon Administration was reached with Kathy Warnick of the Humane Society of Missouri, Karen Strange of the Missouri Federation of Animal Owners, Bob Baker of the Missouri Alliance for Animal Legislation, Barbara York of the Missouri Pet Breeders Association and Don Nikodim of Missouri Farmers Care. State Agriculture Director Jon Hagler signed off on the deal.
Nixon declines to say why he’s hesitant to disclose his intentions for SB 113. Key lawmakers have urged the governor to sign the bill and then work on passing his compromise language.
“We’ve been working with them to make sure that we sequence properly the things that are needed to get done here, the additions to the legislation that will need to get done by the legislature in order to fully implement the solution that has been agreed to,” according to Nixon. “So, we will look forward to coordinating with the legislature to get all of that done in a timely fashion.”
Nixon’s staff confirms the governor met with House Speaker Steven Tilley this morning.
AUDIO: Gov. Jay Nixon speaks with reporters about SB 113 [4:30 MP3]
