Gov. Jay Nixon addressed a group of community advocates at a meeting June 3 at Lutheran Family and Children’s Services of Missouri’s headquarters to inform them that he had vetoed SB 267 that morning.
"The ACLU of Eastern Missouri applauds Gov. Jay Nixon’s courage to veto Senate Bill 267," said Jeffrey Mittman, executive director of the American Civil Liberties Union of Eastern Missouri. "The supposed goal of this bill is to protect Missourians from the application of foreign laws, but the U.S. Constitution and the laws of the United States already accomplish this. Gov. Nixon was wise to see that the bill was not only unnecessary, but could have many negative unintended consequences. Because the bill outlaws any consideration of a foreign law in cases involving family issues, it could negatively impact foreign adoptions, custody disputes based on overseas marriages, and arbitrations based on religious law. International business in Missouri could also be affected, since individuals would not be able to enforce contracts based in another country’s legal system. Quite simply, SB 267 would have harmed Missouri’s ability to operate in the 21st century global village. We urge our legislators to show the same fortitude Gov. Nixon has demonstrated and allow his veto to stand."