Rep. Chrissy Sommer's Weekly Capitol Connection - April 8, 2016

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Legislative Pressure Prompts Governor Nixon to Release Withheld Funding

As the governor released $2.1 million in funds he had withheld from the current state operating budget, House Budget Chairman Tom Flanigan expressed his thanks but also cautioned that the legislature will continue to monitor other opportunities to override the governor’s withholdings.

The Missouri House had voted in bipartisan fashion on Wednesday, March 16 to override the governor’s withholds of $575,000 for the Missouri Scholars Academy and the Missouri Fine Arts Academy, and $350,000 for the Brain Injury Waiver Fund. While the Senate has yet to complete the overrides, Flanigan said it’s clear that the constitutional authority given to the General Assembly by voters was instrumental in forcing the governor’s hand.

“I’m happy to see the governor release funds to these deserving programs, but also extremely thankful that the voters made the wise decision to give the legislature the authority to intervene in times when his withholds are not justified. This is an important check and balance that Missourians saw fit to give us, and it’s a power we will continue to exercise when the governor oversteps his authority by unnecessarily restricting funding for worthy programs,” said Flanigan.

The governor also released $250,000 in funding for the foster kids health home, $400,000 for asthma services, $300,000 for naturally occurring retirement communities, and $250,000 for the Sullivan County Lake project. Even with the money he released, the governor continues to withhold more than $44 million in funds appropriated by the legislature for the current state operating budget.

The legislature gained the constitutional authority to override withholdings made by the governor when Missourians overwhelming approved Amendment 10 in 2014. The legislature’s authority works in a similar fashion to its ability to override a gubernatorial veto and requires a two-thirds vote in both the House and Senate.

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