Kara Sears
Missouri residents are subject to Missouri state laws and U.S. federal laws. Missouri state laws include the Missouri Constitution, laws passed by the Missouri legislature, and decisions by courts that interpret Missouri laws. The Missouri Revised Statutes contain the laws passed by the Missouri legislature, which are often interpreted by the Missouri Supreme Court and the Missouri Court of Appeals. The laws of Missouri can be written by senators, representatives, and even Missouri citizens. If a bill is proposed, it is first reviewed by a smaller group of senators or representatives, who then decide whether to pass it on to the whole house or senate for a vote. If the bill passes this vote, it is sent to the other side of the General Assembly. If each chamber of the legislature passes the bill, the Governor of Missouri will review it. The Governor may sign the bill into law, take no action (in which case the bill automatically becomes law), or veto it. If the Governor vetoes the bill, it will return to the legislature, which can override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Who creates Missouri laws? | Senators, representatives, and citizens of Missouri |
| Who reviews the bills? | The Governor of Missouri |
| What happens if the Governor takes no action? | The bill becomes a law |
| What happens if the Governor vetoes the bill? | The bill returns to the legislature |
| What happens if the legislature overrides the Governor's veto? | The bill passes into law |
| What is required to override the Governor's veto? | A two-thirds majority vote in each chamber of the legislature |
| Who interprets the laws and provisions of the Missouri Constitution? | The Missouri Supreme Court and the Missouri Court of Appeals |
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What You'll Learn
The Missouri Constitution
The first Missouri Constitution was written by the Constitutional Convention in 1820 and adopted on July 19, 1820. This constitution specifically excluded "free negroes and mulattoes" from the state, which was a condition of Missouri's admission to the Union as a slave state. However, this "exclusion clause" was interpreted vaguely to allow for Missouri's admission on August 10, 1821.
The second Missouri Constitution was passed by a constitutional convention in 1865 and abolished slavery. This constitution was known as the "Draconian Constitution" due to its loyalty oath provisions, which were later struck down by the US Supreme Court. The third constitution was drafted in 1875 and provided for separate schools for African-American children, among other things. The fourth constitutional convention was held in 1922-1923 and proposed 21 amendments instead of a new constitution, seven of which were adopted.
In recent years, some of the amendments to the 1945 constitution have been controversial, such as the amendment legalizing commercial gambling in 1993, the amendment allowing the production of human embryos for stem cell research in 2006, and the English-only amendment in 2008. On the other hand, some amendments have been praised for their progressive nature, such as the amendment that legalized and regulated medical marijuana in 2018.
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The Missouri Legislature
Missouri residents are subject to Missouri state laws and U.S. federal laws. Missouri state laws include the Missouri Constitution, laws passed by the Missouri Legislature (also known as the General Assembly), and the Missouri Revised Statutes, which contain the laws passed by the Missouri Legislature. The Missouri Supreme Court and the Missouri Court of Appeals, which is divided into three districts (Eastern, Western, and Southern), often interpret these laws and provisions of the Missouri Constitution.
The Governor may sign the bill into law or take no action, in which case the bill will become law. The Governor may also veto the bill, in which case it will return to the legislature. The legislature can vote to override the Governor's veto and pass the bill into law with a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber of the legislature. The Governor of Missouri is elected by Missouri voters and serves for four years before running for reelection.
In addition to the legislators and the Governor, Missouri citizens can also propose and pass laws. If a Missouri citizen wants to pass a bill, five per cent of Missouri voters must sign a petition showing their support. If enough people sign the petition, all Missouri voters decide if that bill should become a law.
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The Governor of Missouri
The current governor is Republican Mike Kehoe, who took office on January 13, 2025. Kehoe previously served in the Missouri Senate, where he worked to balance budgets, fully fund schools, and champion laws protecting Missouri’s children and seniors. As of July 2, 2025, Governor Kehoe signed five pieces of legislation into law, including Senate Bills 28 and 396, and House Bills 105, 169, and 974.
The process of creating laws in Missouri involves both the legislature and the governor. If a bill is passed by each chamber of the legislature, it is then reviewed by the governor. The governor has three options: they can sign the bill into law, take no action (in which case the bill becomes law), or veto the bill. If the governor vetoes the bill, it returns to the legislature, which can override the veto with a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber.
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The Missouri Supreme Court
The judges of the Missouri Supreme Court are selected through a process known as the Missouri Plan or assisted appointment. When a vacancy occurs, the Missouri Appellate Judicial Commission submits a list of three nominees to the Governor, who then appoints one of the candidates as a judge. The Commission consists of the Chief Justice of the Missouri Supreme Court, three attorneys chosen by the Missouri State Bar, and three citizens of Missouri appointed by the Governor. If the Governor does not make an appointment within 60 days, the Commission will appoint one of the nominees. Newly appointed judges must stand for retention in the next general election occurring at least one year after their appointment. If retained, they serve twelve-year terms.
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Missouri citizens
Missouri state laws include the Missouri Constitution, laws passed by the Missouri legislature, and decisions by courts interpreting Missouri laws. The Missouri Constitution was adopted in 1945 and consists of 14 articles. It includes a Bill of Rights that protects important freedoms, such as the right to speak, the right to practice religion, the right to own a gun, and the right to farm.
The Missouri legislature, composed of the Senate and House of Representatives, writes and passes Missouri's laws. Senators and representatives can write and propose bills, which are then reviewed by a committee. The committee holds a meeting where citizens and experts can provide input on the bill. If the committee supports the bill, it proceeds to the full House or Senate for a vote. If the bill passes with over half of the votes, it moves to the other side of the General Assembly. If it passes both chambers of the legislature, the bill goes to the Governor of Missouri for review.
The Governor may sign the bill into law or choose to take no action, in which case the bill becomes law. However, the Governor can also veto the bill, returning it to the legislature. The legislature can override the Governor's veto with a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber, allowing the bill to become law without the Governor's approval.
Notably, Missouri citizens can also propose and pass laws. To initiate this process, five percent of Missouri voters must sign a petition showing their support for the proposed bill. If sufficient voters sign the petition, all Missouri voters then decide through a vote whether the bill should become law.
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Frequently asked questions
Missouri law is created by senators, representatives, and even Missouri citizens.
The first step to creating a law in Missouri is writing a "bill." A senator or representative can write a bill that they want to be a law.
After a bill is written, a smaller group of senators or representatives called a "committee" looks over the bill and discusses it. The committee holds a meeting where citizens and experts can talk about the bill. If enough committee members support the bill, the whole house or senate then discusses the bill and votes on it.
If each chamber of the legislature passes the bill, the Governor of Missouri will review it. The Governor may sign the bill into law, or they may take no action, in which case the bill will become law. If the Governor vetoes the bill, it will return to the legislature, which can vote to override the Governor's veto and pass the bill into law with a two-thirds majority vote in each chamber of the legislature.
