Missouri legislators override budget vetoes

Missouri lawmakers voted to override Gov. Jay Nixon's vetoes of more than $53 million of spending from the state budget.

During the veto session that started Wednesday and stretched into early Thursday, the legislators overrode 47 different line-item budget vetoes, the Associated Press reported. The overridden items included spending for programs such as asthma education services, forensic exams for abused children and tools for emergency planning at public schools.

Nixon had vetoed the items, saying the state could not afford the programs, but legislators said the governor did not prioritize well in deciding which items to strike, according to the AP.