JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - Gov. Jay Nixon made his first veto of the session Friday, refusing to sign a measure he said unfairly penalizes experienced school administrators who want to continue their involvement in a school district.
The bill, among other provisions, would bar former school superintendents from serving on school boards in the same district where they had worked. Nixon said that restricts citizens’ ability to choose who will represent them.
“There are a number of legitimate requirements to run for office, like age, residency, criminal history, but this isn’t one of them,” Nixon said. “In a democracy, otherwise qualified candidates should not be banned from serving the public simply because of their expertise.”
Because the bill included an emergency clause that made it take effect immediately, Nixon said at least four candidates who are currently running for office and are to appear on April 7 local ballots would have been blocked. At least three other current school board members who are former superintendents would have been unable to run for re-election under the measure, Nixon said.
Lawmakers who supported the bill have said it contains a needed fix for local elections because a measure last year deleted a section dealing with party nominations in some races.
“It needs to be done before April or we will have some real problems with our non-partisan elections in our cities and counties,” said Sen. Jay Wasson, R-Nixa.
The measure was part of lawmakers’ response to problems revealed in the St. Joseph School District. A state audit released in February found $40 million in unapproved stipends paid to administrators over 14 years. A former superintendent on the school board resigned in March.
The bill would have also changed some other provision of the school board elections in St. Joseph.
The measure now goes back to the Legislature, which could try to override the governor’s veto.
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Elections bill is HB 63.
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Online:
House: https://www.house.mo.gov
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