By Marshall Griffen
7/13/07 – Governor Matt Blunt says he's open to addressing more than one issue if he decided to call a special session later this year. The primary issue would be passing a scaled-down version of the tax credit bill he vetoed earlier this month. But Blunt says lawmakers might also need to make changes to the Safe & Secure Bridge Improvement program, which would repair or replace over 800 aging highway bridges in Missouri.
"It's the type of thing that we'd like to expedite completion on and could be a part of a special session, but again, no decisions have been made, and there'll be lots of factors certainly one of those factors will be my desire to hold a special session that occurs VERY quickly."
A veto session is also possible, in which lawmakers would attempt to override some of the governor's vetoes. Blunt says a special session and a veto session could be held concurrently or separately, without much difference in cost to Missouri taxpayers.