JEFFERSON CITY - A bill to make it easier for Jasper County road districts to dissolve is back after being vetoed last year.
Sen. Gary Nodler is once again sponsoring the bill, and testified Wednesday before the Committee on Economic Development, Tourism and Local Government. Nodler, who also serves on the committee, asked that his bill be put on the fast track to be considered by the full Senate.
Currently, Jasper county road districts wanting to dissolve must secure the signatures of a majority of the landowners within the district to place the issue on the ballot. But several districts in Jasper county have had trouble reaching that threshold. Nodler's legislation would allow for districts in Jasper County to only need fifty signatures to put the issue to the voters.
The exception would be for the Joplin special road district, which Nodler said caused the measure to be vetoed last year.
"The Governor's office vetoed the legislation after identifying a constitutional issue," Nodler said. That issue was "a problem with Jasper county doing something that would affect a neighboring county."
The Joplin special road district covers areas in both Jasper and Newton counties.
To fix the problem, Nodler added an extra provision to the current bill, which would says the new law "shall not apply to any road district which is located in two counties."