MISSOURI'S VETO SESSION USUALLY MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING

JEFFERSON CITY -- After voters approved a constitutional provision in 1988 requiring a brief legislative session to consider overriding gubernatorial vetoes, these September gatherings have usually turned into much-ado-about-nothing political schmoozing opportunities.

Despite a consensus among several legislative leaders, individual lawmakers and other state officials that nothing of substance will occur, Capitol rumors in recent days have centered on plots to remove House Speaker Bob Griffin from his post and an attempt by anti-abortion forces to override an earlier veto by Gov. Mel Carnahan of a measure that would have required counseling for women planning to have an abortion.

If neither of these legislative coups occurs, then the planned two-day session that starts Wednesday, Sept. 13, will prove to be another social-political gathering for 163 members of the Missouri House of Representatives and 34 members of the Missouri Senate.

It's being predicted this year's mandated gathering will attract only a handful of curious lobbyists, an almost foolproof sign that the people's representatives are planning on doing little of importance.

The veto session provision in the Missouri Constitution (Art. III, Sec. 32) even provides the language to be used by presiding officers as members gather in their respective chambers to consider any overrides. The specified language requires the House speaker and the Senate president pro tem to ask members: "Shall the bill pass, the objections of the governor thereto notwithstanding?" If two-thirds of the members in either chamber approve of an override, then the measure is sent to the other body for a similar vote. If both the House and Senate approve of invalidating the gubernatorial veto by the required margin, then the bill automatically becomes laws and is certified by the office of secretary of state as an "authentic act."

Excluding line-item appropriations vetoes, Gov. Carnahan put a red pencil to five bills enacted in this year's earlier regular session. Four of the five were Senate measures.

The bills vetoed, their sponsors and the date the governor rejected them include:

HB 79 -- Charitable campaign solicitations. Sponsors: Rep. Norma Champion, Springfield, and Sen. Franc Flotron, St. Louis. Both are Republicans. Vetoed July 7.

SB 136 -- School retirement changes. Sponsors: Sen. Harold Caskey, Butler, and Rep. Marilyn Williams, Dudley. Both are Democrats. Vetoed May 31.

SB 246 -- Late fees on credit transactions. Sponsors: Sen. Walt Mueller, St. Louis, and Rep. Gene Copeland, New Madrid. Mueller is a Republican and Copeland is a Democrat. Vetoed July 7.

SB 279 -- Abortion counseling bill. Sponsor: Sen. John Schneider, Florissant, a Democrat. Vetoed May 4. (This measure, commonly referred to as the "care-giver" bill, was returned to the General Assembly by the executive office in time for consideration during the regular session. No action was taken at that time, and officials in the executive office argue that any attempt to override this measure during the September session would be out of order.)

SB 421 -- Election for county planning. Sponsors: Sen. Marvin Singleton, Joplin, and Rep. Martin Hohulin, Lamar. Both are Republicans. Vetoed June 18.

Only two governors, John Ashcroft and Carnahan, have served since the 1988 enactment of the veto session amendment, and neither has had a veto overridden.

If next month's session doesn't become embroiled in a legislative or extracurricular political battle, it's expected to last no more than two days, according to staff members.

House Minority Leader Mark Richardson, Poplar Bluff, has told this newspaper he has no plans to introduce any measure to remove Griffin from the speaker's post during the veto session. Thus far, Sen. Schneider has remained silent about any plans for an override of his abortion counseling measure.