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Only one unsigned bill becomes law in Missouri this year; roundup of other bills at deadline

St. Louis Public Radio | By Marshall Griffin,
Marshall Griffin
Published July 15, 2015 at 5:00 PM CDT
Marshall Griffin | St. Louis Public Radio

Every bill Missouri lawmakers sent to Gov. Jay Nixon this year has now been signed or vetoed, with only one bill becoming law without his signature.

That bill, HB 137, tweaks the bidding process for license fee offices by doing away with rewarding points to bidders based on how much revenue the state would get back in return. It was co-sponsored by state Rep. Dean Dohrman, R-LaMonte.

"That has been, unfortunately, forcing out many of the smaller community-based, either organizations or individuals, who for years ran these offices," Dohrman said. "Some of them are non-profits, so their money is going back into the communities that they're serving."

The bill also contains an exemption to the Sunshine Law for leases, subleases, agreements, or contracts for the St. Louis Convention Center.

Credit Marshall Griffin | St. Louis Public Radio

"I think the general purpose of the provision is competitiveness," Dohrman said, "not giving a competing entity a peak into the business ledgers of others who are in the process."

Dohrman added, though, that the Sunshine Law exemption would not cover leases, agreements, and contracts "involving a professional sports franchise." House Bill 137 contains an emergency clause, meaning the bill took effect immediately upon becoming law instead of the usual effective date of Aug. 28.

Harris-Stowe degrees, other bill signed by deadline

Nixon did sign several bills into law on Tuesday, the deadline for taking action on bills passed this year. They include Senate Bill 334, which will allow Harris-Stowe University to offer more degrees, including post-graduate degrees. Nixon is also holding a ceremonial signing for that bill Thursday in St. Louis.

Other education bills signed into law Tuesday include:

  • Senate Bill 366 allows taxpayers to contribute at least $25 of their state income tax refund to the taxpayer's selected MOST--Missouri's 529 College Savings Plan account 
  • House Bill 41 removes obsolete language regarding the phase-in of the K-12 funding formula
  • House Bill 501 requires certain content be included in course materials relating to human sexuality, sexually transmitted diseases and sexual predators, including online predators
  • Senate Bill 93 designates outdoor areas of public institutions of higher education as public forums where students may engage in "expressive activities"
  • Senate Bill 104 contains several provisions regarding elections, including those for school boards

Nixon also signed the following bills into law Tuesday:

  • House Bill 92 contains several provisions regarding natural resources, including changes to current law to account for any future hydraulic fracturing, a.k.a. "fracking," activities that may take place in Missouri
  • Senate Bill 445 contains several environmental protection provisions, including requiring coal-fire power plant owners to develop air quality monitoring or modeling networks
  • Senate Bill 373 creates the Division of Alcohol and Tobacco Control Fund for administering liquor control laws and laws banning the sale of tobacco to minors
  • Senate Bill 107 modifies laws related to speech language pathologists and audiologists

Follow Marshall Griffin on Twitter:  @MarshallGReport

Copyright 2021 St. Louis Public Radio. To see more, visit St. Louis Public Radio.

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Politics Missouri SenateMissouri Housegov. jay nixon
Marshall Griffin
Missouri Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a proud alumnus of the University of Mississippi (a.k.a., Ole Miss), and has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off the old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Mason, and their cat, Honey.
See stories by Marshall Griffin
Marshall Griffin
St. Louis Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a native of Mississippi and proud alumnus of Ole Miss (welcome to the SEC, Mizzou!). He has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off an old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Liberty Belle, and their cat, Honey.
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