ST. LOUIS — Governor Nixon vetoes a bill that supporters say was passed to prevent the adoption of Sharia Law in Missouri. “There are certainly problems facing our nation and state today,” Nixon said, “But the problems attempted to be addressed by Senate Bill 267 isn’t one of those problems.”
The Governor held a news conference to announce his veto at Lutheran Family and Children Services in St. Louis County, saying the bill might have hindered international adoptions, international business deals and called into question other international contracts.
Among those applauding the veto was Jeffrey Mittman, the new Executive Director of the ACLU of Eastern Missouri. “The U.S. Constitution is the supreme law of our land,” Mittmann said, “The U.S. Constitution protects the civil rights and liberties of all Americans in Missouri and every other state. A foreign law bill, an anti-Sharia Law bill, is not necessary. It doesn’t add anything. All it does is cause problems.”
Senate Bill 267 was sponsored by State Senator Brian Nieves, following passage of similar laws in four other states. Called the “Civil Liberties Defense Act,” it sought to protect Missourians individual constitutional rights from foreign laws that might violate the U.S. Constitution.
No word yet on whether lawmakers will seek to override the Governor’s veto, or whether supporters could muster the two-thirds majority they would need.
See also “CAIR applauds Missouri Gov’s veto of anti-Islam bill”, CAIR press release, 3 June 2013