CHAPTER 2 EXECUTIVE BRANCH Harry Truman with mule, state fair. OFFICE OF GOVERNOR 55 Jeremiah W. (Jay) Nixon Governor Elected November 4, 2008 Term expires January 2017 JAY NIXON (Democrat) is serving his second gram to help returning veterans fi nd jobs here at term as governor of Missouri. After garnering the home and enacting a dedicated source of funding highest margin of victory for a non-incumbent for veterans homes. A member of the President’s governor in 44 years when fi rst elected in 2008, Council of Governors, Gov. Nixon has made Nixon was easily re-elected by Missourians as multiple trips to Iraq and Afghanistan to visit with their 55th governor in 2012 to continue creating troops and be briefed on military operations. jobs and moving the state forward. Nixon has visited each of Missouri’s 87 state Gov. Nixon has put forward an agenda to parks and historic sites to help promote them as make government more effi cient, effective and responsive to the needs of Missouri families. He recreational destinations, with a goal of reaching is committed to creating jobs, balancing the bud- 20 million visitors by 2020. He also began the get and holding the line on taxes—preserving the State Parks Youth Corps to beautify the parks and state’s spotless credit rating in the process. put young people to work. An avid hunter and fi sherman, both Gov. Nixon and the First Lady As he did in the state Senate and during four have led the 100 Missouri Miles Challenge and terms as attorney general, Gov. Nixon is reaching across the aisle to put Missouri families fi rst. He the Children in Nature Challenge to encourage successfully worked with the legislature to pass Missourians to spend more time outdoors in the several jobs initiatives, including a bill credited state named as “Best Trails State” in 2013. with revitalizing Missouri’s auto manufacturing Prior to becoming governor, Jay Nixon was industry. Nixon’s call to reform Missouri’s drunk- elected to a record four terms as Missouri’s attor- driving laws resulted in changes to keep repeat ney general. His settlements with the insurance offenders off the road. industry and hospitals led to the formation of two Gov. Nixon has led the fi ght for families with of the largest health care foundations in state his- children with special needs, including the suc- tory. One of Nixon’s most successful programs, cessful push to require insurance companies to Missouri’s popular No-Call List, has become a cover proven treatments for autism disorders, as model for states across the nation to stop tele- well as the creation and subsequent expansion of marketing calls. Partnership for Hope, which is helping provide community-based services to those with devel- A native of De Soto, Nixon was raised in a opmental disabilities. family of public servants. His mother, the late Bet- ty Nixon, was a teacher and served as president Gov. Nixon has made a strong public educa- tion system one of his chief priorities, with Mis- of the local school board. His father, Jerry Nixon, souri’s public elementary and secondary schools was mayor of De Soto and a municipal judge. receiving a record amount of funding. The gover- Growing up in a home with these strong exam- nor’s Caring for Missourians and Training for To- ples, Nixon learned at a young age that faith and morrow initiatives have helped thousands of Mis- family come fi rst—and giving back to the commu- sourians to earn degrees in high-demand fi elds, nity comes next. That philosophy has guided him such as health care. The A-Plus scholarship pro- throughout his career in public service. gram also now includes nearly every high school in Missouri. After earning his undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Missouri, Nixon Gov. Nixon was praised for his strong leader- returned to De Soto to practice as an attorney. ship in responding to the natural disasters that hit Missouri in 2011 and 2012, as he moved quickly In 1986, he was elected to the Missouri Senate, to mobilize and maximize the state resources where he would represent the people of Jefferson needed to protect lives and property, and to help County for six years. those Missourians affected recover and rebuild. Governor Nixon and his wife Georganne He has been a strong supporter of the Mis- Wheeler Nixon have two sons, Jeremiah and souri National Guard and Missourians serving in Willson. They belong to the First United Method- the military, creating the Show-Me Heroes pro- ist Church in Jefferson City. 56 OFFICIAL MANUAL Offi ce of Governor State Capitol Jefferson City 65102 Telephone: (573) 751-3222 / FAX: (573) 751-1495 www.gov.mo.gov JOHN WATSON JUDY MURRAY Qualifi cations Chief of Staff Assistant to the Governor The chief executive offi cer of the state of Mis- souri must be at least 30 years old, a U.S. citizen for at least 15 years and a resident of Missouri for at least 10 years before being elected governor. The governor is elected to a four-year term during the same year as a presidential election and may seek re-election to a second four-year term. No person may hold the offi ce for more than two terms. Responsibilities EDWARD R. ARDINI PETER LYSKOWSKI The governor appoints the members of all Chief Counsel Deputy Chief of Staff boards and commissions, all department heads in state government and fi lls all vacancies in public offi ces unless otherwise provided by law. The board members of Missouri’s state universi- ties and colleges are appointed by the governor. The governor also selects the members of the Supreme Court and Missouri Court of Appeals from names submitted by the Appellate Judicial Commission. The governor appoints members to certain election boards, the Kansas City police board and the Board of Probation and Parole. Most appointments require the advice and con- sent of the Senate. KRISTY MANNING The governor addresses the General Assem- JASON ZAMKUS Director of Legislative Affairs Deputy Director of bly in the State of the State Address and recom- Legislative Affairs mends changes or other actions to be taken. A budget is submitted by the governor to the Gen- approving other items or portions of the appropri- eral Assembly within 30 days of the General As- ations bill. Upon signing the appropriations bill, sembly convening. The budget contains the gov- appended to it is a statement of the items or por- ernor’s estimates of available state revenues and tions of items to which there are objections and an itemized plan for proposed expenditures. such items or portions will not take effect. The All bills passed by both houses of the legisla- governor may control the rate of expenditure in ture are submitted to the governor for consider- other areas whenever the actual revenues are less ation. The governor must return the legislation to than the revenue estimates upon which the appro- the house of its inception within 15 days after re- priations were based. ceiving it. The governor may either approve a bill, making it law, or return it to the legislature with objections. When the legislature is adjourned, the Additional Duties and Powers governor has 45 days to consider a bill. The governor performs many other duties as- The governor may object to one or more items signed by the constitution, statute or custom. For or portions of items of an appropriations bill while example, the governor issues writs of election to OFFICE OF GOVERNOR 57 A.J. FOX De’VION MOORE JEFF HARRIS TIFFANY BAYER Director of Boards and Deputy Director of Boards and Director of Policy Assistant to the First Lady Commissions Commissions LESLEY BICKEL MICHAEL BARRETT MICHAEL NIETZEL CHRIS PIEPER Mansion Director Deputy Counsel Senior Policy Advisor Senior Legal and Policy Advisor CHANNING ANSLEY KELSEY THOMPSON SCOTT HOLSTE BRIAN MAY Director of Communications Director of Scheduling Press Secretary Director, St. Louis Offi ce fi ll vacancies in either house of the General As- Executive Department sembly. The governor also has the power to grant The executive department consists of all state reprieves, commutations and pardons, but this elective and appointive employees, except those does not include the power to parole. of the legislative and judicial departments. In addition to other duties, the governor is a member of a number of boards and commissions, Missouri’s First Lady such as the Board of Public Buildings and the State Like the governor, First Lady Georganne Board of Fund Commissioners. Wheeler Nixon earned her undergraduate and Moreover, the governor is the conservator of law degrees from the University of Missouri–Co- peace throughout Missouri and is commander- lumbia. Her support of Gov. Nixon’s call for strong in-chief of the state’s militia. The militia may be public education in Missouri comes naturally: her called out to execute laws, suppress threats of dan- father, the late Hubert Wheeler, served as Mis- ger to the state and prevent and repel invasion. souri’s fi rst commissioner of education; her moth- 58 OFFICIAL MANUAL er and grandmother were both teachers; and Mrs. to all Missourians to tour “the people’s house,” Nixon herself has taught in the public schools. which each year hosts approximately 60,000 visi- Mrs. Nixon is an outdoor enthusiast who has tors. helped lead the Governor’s 100 Missouri Miles First occupied by Gov. G. Gratz Brown and Challenge, an initiative launched by the governor his family in 1872, this stately three-story brick and the fi rst lady to encourage families to enjoy building is one of the oldest and most beautifully Missouri’s outdoors as part of an active lifestyle.