A State Senator from Cape Girardeau today delayed the start of the special session by three hours, then continued to slow the process down after bills were allowed to be introduced.
Republican Jason Crowell is objecting to what he calls a “micromanaged" list of priorities by Democratic Governor Jay Nixon.
“We do not want a king in this country," Crowell said from the Senate floor. "We didn’t want it on the federal and we don’t want it on the state level and (we) sure don’t want it on the local level.”
Crowell says he and other lawmakers should be able to offer amendments to bills, regardless of whether those amendments fit the governor’s definition of what can and cannot be considered during a special session.
“It’s an abortion to be here under these specific, tightly, noose-like parameters that only the governor wants," Crowell said.
Crowell specifically criticized the air cargo portion of the tax credit proposal, referring to Aerotropolis as “Error-tropolis.” He would not confirm if he plans to block the bill, but the head of the Missouri Senate admits that at least one Senator is promising a filibuster.
Meanwhile, Governor Nixon has again expanded the call of the special session. He wants lawmakers to consider legislation to provide property tax relief for business owners affected by the Joplin tornado, and he wants them to remove language from a new law that restricts teacher-student contact via Facebook and other social media.
