The Missouri General Assembly yesterday failed to secure enough votes to override Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of right-to-work legislation.
The 96-63 vote fell 13 votes short of the two-thirds majority required for an override, according to a news release from the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry.
Introduced by Rep. Eric Burlison, R-Springfield, the bill was passed by the state Senate and House in the final days of the spring session. It was designed to prohibit an employer from requiring a person to join a union or pay union fees to get or keep a job. In June, Nixon vetoed the bill, saying the legislation would be harmful to Missouri’s economy and expose businesses to unwarranted governmental interference and potential criminal prosecution, according to
Springfield Business Journal archives.
Chamber officials, which supported the override, called out members of the legislature on the failure.
“It’s incredibly disappointing to see our General Assembly — which is heavily comprised of lawmakers who were elected on pro-business platforms — continue to fall short when it comes to making Missouri a right-to-work state,” chamber President and CEO Dan Mehan said in the release. “As a state that doesn’t support right-to-work protections, Missouri will continue to be overlooked for job creation and business expansion opportunities.”
In a statement, Nixon called the General Assembly’s action a victory for businesses, workers and families. He said bipartisan support for his veto was key.
“I thank the members of the General Assembly – both Democrats and Republicans – who sent a clear message to the nation that Missouri will stand by its workers and oppose attempts by outside special interests to cut wages and weaken the middle class,” Nixon said.
Veto overrides
The General Assembly did manage to override 10 vetoes, several of which have business implications, according to a news release from the Missouri Senate.
Overrides included:
• House Bill 150, which lowers the number of weeks a person out of work can receive unemployment compensation during periods when the state has a high rate of employment;
• House Bill 722, which prohibits a municipality from requiring an employer to provide a minimum wage that exceeds federal or state requirements; and
• Senate Bill 20, which provides a sales-tax exemption for large laundries for purchases of energy, equipment and supplies.
