Republicans in the Missouri House have held a big meeting to count votes for the the upcoming veto session. And Speaker Tim Jones admits he doesn’t know anything for sure except that the legislature could make history by overriding a record number of vetoes in the modern era. Governor Nixon has vetoed more than two dozen bills.
Three are the most-watched ones—the tax bill that Governor Nixon says increases taxes on prescription drugs and can blow a big hole in the state budget, a bill that lets Missouri police arrest any federal agents who try to enforce federal gun laws, and a bill that protects the Doe Run lead company from damage suits.
But Jones knows every Republican must vote for any overrides or they won’t happen. And he admits he doesn’t know how his own party will go on the tax bill.
Jones says he does not intend to punish any of his Republicans who don’t support override attempts. He says their votes will be between them and their constituents.
