NO VETOES EXPECTED IN TWO-DAY SESSION

Overriding a governor's veto isn't easy. It hasn't happened in at least 20 years in Missouri and it won't happen this year, area lawmakers say.

But lawmakers will convene today for their annual veto session. The two-day session begins at noon.

The state constitution requires lawmakers to hold a veto session each year in September.

But vetoes are rare. It takes a two-thirds majority in both the House and Senate to override.

It would take 109 of the 163 House members and 23 of the 34 senators to override a veto.

Gov. Mel Carnahan vetoed only a dozen of 209 bills sent him to this year. The rest he signed into law.

Republicans may push for an override of the Democratic governor's veto of a bill that would have imposed stricter standards on doctors and clinics performing abortions.

But both Republican and Democratic lawmakers expressed doubt that the veto would be overridden.

The bill would have required clinics to have annual state inspections and doctors who perform abortions to have malpractice insurance.

State Rep. Mary Kasten, R-Cape Girardeau, said the House may have enough votes to override the veto, but she doubted there are enough votes in the Senate to do so.

"This is actually to some degree a compromise bill to people on both sides of the issue because it basically protects the mother," said state Rep. David Schwab, R-Jackson.

State Sen. Peter Kinder, R-Cape Girardeau, would like to see the bill become law. So would Kasten and Schwab.

"It is an entirely reasonable measure with very broad bipartisan support and we ought to override his veto," Kinder said.

But both Kinder and Schwab said they doubt Democratic lawmakers would vote to override a Democratic governor in an election year.

Even if a majority of lawmakers want to override the governor, it won't come up for a vote until the Democratic sponsors agree to raise the issue, Kinder said.

He said such a scenario is unlikely.

Kinder said the Democrats, who are the majority party in both houses, hold the key to what happens in the veto session.

"It really is a closed little system," he said.

Carnahan has indicated he would favor eliminating the 3-cent state sales tax on food.

Schwab and Kinder suggested the governor should hold a special session concurrently with the veto session so lawmakers could enact such a tax cut.

Kinder said Carnahan's apparent unwillingness to call a special session shows the governor isn't serious about a tax cut.

"We ought not to talk about it, we ought to do it," he said.

While no one expects any veto to be overridden this week, state Rep. Larry Thomason, D-Kennett, said the veto session serves a purpose.

Thomason said it serves as a check and balance on the executive branch.

"If we didn't come up here and meet then governors would veto everything," he said.

"The mere fact we are here is what keeps governors honest."

Lawmakers also find time for committee meetings.

"You have to be making plans on legislation for next year," Thomason said. The regular session starts in January.

"It isn't a wasted time totally," said Kasten.

"We always have a lot to do when we get up there," she said. "There is always constituent business to take care of."