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Nixon OKs changes in state adoption laws, as he signs eight bills and vetoes one

This article first appeared in the St. Louis Beacon, July 5, 2011 - With little over a week left, Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon announced this afternoon that he has signed into law eight bills passed by the General Assembly this past session. He also vetoed one, but it's not among the controversial measures -- notably, one dealing with abortion -- that still await a decision.

Those signed into the law include Senate Bill 351, which makes revisions in the state laws governing an adoptee's acquisition of information about his or her biological parents. The new law allows such information to be acquired by the adult adoptee's descendents, if the adoptee is deceased. Adoptees also will no longer need the consent of their adoptive parents to obtain information about the biological parents.

The other approved bills include:

SB 506, which delays property tax assessments on new, unoccupied homes, until four years after construction is completed. The current law mandates assessments after two years, even if the residence is still unoccupied.

House Bill 675, "which requires every elected or appointed coroner, deputy coroner and assistant to the coroner to complete the annually required educational training within six months of his or her election or appointment," according to the official summary.

SB 180, which encourages bicycle riding by specifying the month of October as "Walk & Bike to School Month," and the month of May as "Missouri Bicycle Month."

The vetoed bill isHB 465, which makes changes in state laws governing credit unions. The governor said he vetoed the bill because it has differences withSB 306, which also makes credit-union changes -- and which he did sign into law.

Jo Mannies is a freelance journalist and former political reporter at St. Louis Public Radio.