The GOP-controlled Missouri Legislature returns Wednesday to the state Capitol to decide whether to overturn any of the governor’s vetoes on policy or budget bills passed this year. The annual veto session begins at 12 p.m.
Gov. Mike Parson, a fellow Republican, vetoed more than $555 million in the $53 billion state budget, including:
•$25 million of $50 million assigned for Close the Gap grants to help families with tutoring, summer learning and other educational opportunities
•$15 million of $30 million designated to help victims of crime
•$15 million for a University of Missouri program that trains K-12 public schools about prosocial education
•$6.8 million in rural health behavioral crisis center expansions
•$5 million of $10 million proposed for autism research
•$3.7 million of $13.1 million in prevention and intervention to help at-risk youth
•$2.5 million to study whether it’s worth it to turn Highway 36 into Interstate 72
•$2 million to help with National Guard recruitment
•$1.8 million of $3.3 million designated for an electromagnetic brain treatment to help veterans and first responders with depression, post-traumatic stress disorder, and substance use disorder
The governor does not expect much to happen during veto session.
“I think for the public perception, we’ve just passed one of the largest bills in the state of Missouri, on the budget there with $53 billion. I think it’s a little rough to come back to here and all of a sudden say I want to spend more money,” said Parson. “If we continue to spend like we did last year, we will be out of money in this state in a year or two. And I don’t think any of us want that. We just need to be smart about it. You know, I’m sorry everybody didn’t get exactly what they wanted, but every legislator in this building got something for their home districts. Sometimes you just need to be satisfied what you did get and quit worrying about what you didn’t get.”
Parson also vetoed a wide-ranging crime package that would bolster penalties for assault on a law enforcement animal and would elevate the charges for reckless discharge of a firearm within city limits.
There could be more to talk about outside of the House and Senate chambers. Several legislative hearings are scheduled for Wednesday.
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