Bill prohibiting bonds without legislative approval stalled
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Bill prohibiting bonds without legislative approval stalled

Date: April 29, 2015
By: Michael Lindquist
State Capitol Bureau

JEFFERSON CITY - A bill that would keep Missouri from being pushed further into debt has yet to be voted on.

House Budget Committee Chairman Rep. Tom Flanigan, R-Carthage, gave no commitment on whether there will be a vote on the bill before session ends.

The bill prohibits Gov. Jay Nixon from using bonds to pay for a new football stadium for the St. Louis Rams without legislative or voter approval.

Sen. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph, says if the bill is not passed the legislature will not pay for the issued bonds.

"If the Governor goes and manages to get bonds issued and go into debt to build a stadium without the vote of the legislature, we're probably not going to pay on those bonds," Schaaf said.

Schaaf says it isn't right to make Missourians pay for something they never asked for.

"My concern is that the people of Missouri won't be on the hook for paying for bonds that we didn't ask for," he said. "We are the legislature that represents the people. If they go and issue bonds, just don't expect us to pay for them."

The last day of session for the Missouri General Assembly is May 15.