MO: Democrat Governor Nixon has until Mid July to Veto, Sign or Ignore Gun Law Reforms

On the last day of the legislative session, June 3rd, the Missouri legislature passed SB646, which reforms the State's gun laws.     The bill was passed with a veto proof majority in the house, 111- 28 and a potentially veto proof majority in the Senate, 21-7.   Four senators did not vote.   Two more votes are needed to make the Senate vote veto proof.   Three of the Senators have voted pro-second amendment rights in the past.   From opencarry.org, here is some history:

 Mike Parson Rep Voted for nulification bill
Bob Dixon Rep Voted previously to overide veto of nullification bill
Kiki Curls Dem anti-gunner
Mike Cunningham Rep Co sponsor of previous pro-firearm bills
Two open seats

Two senate seats are empty.   Empty seats are a bone of contention with the legislature.   Some legislators are saying that the Governor's failure to quickly call elections for empty seats is one of three offenses for which he should be impeached.    From newsmax.com:

 Rep. Mike Moon filed a second impeachment resolution on the grounds that Nixon moved too slowly in calling for special elections to fill vacant legislative seats.

Here is a summary of the reforms in Senate Bill 656, from the NRAILA:

• Allows the open carrying of firearms in all localities with a carry permit.  Some localities currently have ordinances that ban open carrying of firearms, even by those with a valid carry permit.

• Allows a school district to designate a teacher or administrator to qualify as a school protection officer and carry a firearm on school property with the proper training. Current law already allows a school district to allow those with a concealed carry permit to carry a firearm on school property – this would allow school personnel to undergo extensive police training.

• States that no law shall require health care professionals to inquire about a patient’s ownership or possession of firearms and prohibits the documentation of such information into a database.

• Reduces the age from 21 to 19 for those wishing to apply for a concealed carry permit.

• Allows someone to qualify for a concealed carry permit using a revolver or semi-automatic pistol, rather than having to qualify with each firearm.

• Requires one instructor for every forty people for the classroom portion of a firearms safety training course.  Current law allows only forty people per classroom regardless of the number of instructors present.

• Specifies that no public housing authority shall prohibit a lessee or a member of the lessee’s immediate household or guest from personally possessing firearms within an individual residence, common areas, or from carrying or transporting firearms to and from such residence in a manner allowed by law.

Democrat Governor Nixon has not yet signed the bill.   He has three options.  The fourth listed below does not apply because the bills are not appropriation bills.

VII. SIGNING BY THE GOVERNOR

Bills Truly Agreed To and Finally Passed are signed in open session by the Speaker of the House and the President Pro Tem of the Senate. At the time of signing, any members may file written objections which are sent with the bill to the Governor. The Governor has fifteen days to act on a bill if it is sent to him during the legislative session; and forty-five days if the legislature has adjourned or has recessed for a thirty day period. The Governor has four options:

1. Sign the bill, making it become part of Missouri law. 2. Veto the bill. In this case, the bill is returned to the General Assembly where a two-thirds vote of both houses is required to override the veto.
3. Not sign the bill. Should the Governor take no action within the prescribed time, the bill goes to the Secretary of State, who then enrolls the bill as an authentic act. It then becomes law.

4. Veto line-items in an appropriation bill. On appropriation bills only, the Governor may choose to veto selected items within the bill. The General Assembly may override this veto by a two-thirds majority of both houses.

Because the legislature is not in session, the Governor has 45 days to decide on what action he wishes to take.   By my calculation, that would be the 18th or 19th of July.

 The NRAILA listed this phone number and the email contact system for Governor Nixon:

Governor Jay Nixon:
(573) 751-3222
E-mail

 ©2014 by Dean Weingarten: Permission to share is granted when this notice is included.
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