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Missouri House takes step toward overriding photo ID veto

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Jay Nixon has cut $59 million of spending for schools, roads and other programs to counteract new tax breaks enacted when lawmakers overrode his vetoes. The House quickly voted 112-41 to overturn the governor’s veto.

On Wednesday, the Legislature overrode vetoes of bills that provide an income tax deduction for federal agricultural disaster aid payments, a sales tax exemption for “instructional classes”, such as dance lessons, and an income tax deduction for corporations that switch to employee ownership. As a Democratic governor, overseeing a Republican General Assembly, he has been overridden 83 times combined in his past 7 sessions.

Nixon vetoed about two dozen measures this year, including ones already overridden this spring blocking pay raises for home-care workers and changing the state’s school funding requirements.

Democratic Rep. Stacey Newman countered: “This bill is voter fraud on its face”.

UPDATE, 4:30 p.m.: The Missouri Senate is in the midst of a two-hour discussion about whether to override the governor’s veto of photo voter identification. If voters swear they don’t have photo IDs, they would still be allowed to vote by showing other forms of identification. Nixon’s budget office has said it could cost the state $8 million in lost taxes this year and an equal amount for local governments.

Opponents said the new law flies in the face of general opposition throughout Missouri to weaken the state’s concealed-carry permit system.

The bill also removes the training requirement, but supporters said a free Internet course is available.

GOP Rep. Kevin Engler said the gun controllers have repeatedly predicted deadly consequences on all the gun legislation ever passed in Missouri.

Democrats like Nixon and Holsman have been joined in their opposition of the law by gun control advocates and by numerous law enforcement agencies. We’re talking about senate bill 656 -It makes it so you don’t need a permit or training to carry a gun anymore. The organization distributed signs saying, “NRA”.

The Missouri chapter of Moms Demand Action for Gun Sense in America, part of Everytown for Gun Safety, today released the following statement condemning Missouri lawmakers for kowtowing to the gun lobby and ignoring Missouri voters by voting to override Governor Nixon’s veto of SB 656, a unsafe gun bill that dismantles Missouri’s concealed carry permit requirement and lets people-including some violent criminals, certain repeat drug offenders, and people with no firearms safety training- carry hidden, loaded handguns in public. Maria Chappelle-Nadal said, who represents fatally-shot Michael Brown’s hometown of Ferguson.

“SB 656 (is) a risky gun bill that dismantles Missouri’s concealed carry permit requirement and lets people – including some violent criminals, certain repeat drug offenders, and people with no firearms safety training – carry hidden, loaded handguns in public”, the statement said. The lifetime permits, which may last either 10 or 25 years, allow individuals the right to concealed carry without having to go through the renewal process every five years, but do require the sheriff to perform background checks for criminal conduct every five years.

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The bill also called the Constitutional Carry states anyone who can legally purchase a weapon, can also carry it concealed without a permit. But Missouri’s measure makes it the first new “stand-your-ground” state since 2011. The measure also expands legal protections for those who use deadly force to defend themselves in both public and private places.

Missouri: Important Pro Self-Defense Vote Tomorrow, Contact Your Legislators NOW