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Legislators disagree about how to implement Amendment 10

The capitol building in Jefferson City
j. stephenconn
/
Flickr
The capitol building in Jefferson City

  Missouri lawmakers have mixed opinions about whether they can use a new constitutional amendment to override some of Governor Jay Nixon's budget cuts when they go into session in January. 

Voters in November approved an amendment that allows the Legislature to reverse a governor's spending restrictions by a two-thirds vote in both chambers. Nixon currently is restricting about $700 million of spending as a result of actions he took when the budget year began last July.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Kurt Schaefer (SHAY-'fer) believes the new amendment could be cited to overturn Nixon's spending restrictions. But incoming House Budget Chairman Tom Flanigan believes the amendment can't be used to reverse an action that occurred before voters adopted the amendment.

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