NIxon signs bill moving presidential primary to March

(From Gov. Jay Nixon)

Gov. Jay Nixon has signed into law Senate Bill 892, which moves the presidential primary from February to March to comply with national party committee rules and ensure more Missourians have a voice in the nomination process. Under the bill, Missouri’s presidential primary will be held on the second Tuesday after the first Monday in March.

“This measure will help avoid the uncertainty and disruption seen in 2012 and ensure more Missourians have a voice in the nomination process,” Gov. Nixon said. “I thank the legislature for getting this responsible measure to my desk well in advance of the 2016 presidential election.”

As in 2012, both parties are expected to authorize penalties for states that schedule their presidential primaries earlier than required by the national party committees. For 2016, the Republican National Committee has issued rules that would penalize states, with the exception of Iowa, New Hampshire, South Carolina and Nevada, which hold presidential primaries before March 15.

In addition to Senate Bill 892, the Governor also signed House Bill 1064, which replaces the terms “mentally retarded” and “mental retardation” with the terms “intellectually disabled” and “intellectual disability” in state law.

“Eliminating these outdated and hurtful terms from our laws builds on our efforts to root out discrimination and make sure all Missourians are treated with dignity and respect,” Gov. Nixon said. “Missouri has been recognized as one of the top states in the nation for helping its citizens with developmental disabilities live up to their God-given potential, and today we’re making sure the words we use are consistent with the values we share.”

The Governor also signed the following bills:
House Bill 1136, which relates to election laws;
House Bill 1301, which relates to the Police Retirement System of Kansas City;
House Bill 1376, which deals with the Uniform Commercial Code;
House Bill 1656, which corrects a typographical error in the Uniform Anatomical Gifts Act of 2008;