Republican wedge issues were among the first bills filed on the opening day for Missouri lawmakers to pre-file bills for the 2011 legislative session.

Included in the first-day bills were measures to prohibit all-union contracts, require a photo ID to vote, require drug testing of welfare recipients and repeal the state income tax. Some of those issues have provoked lengthy Democratic filibusters in the Senate in recent years.

Republicans will enjoy the largest majority in the state legislature in decades. Republicans have more than enough votes in the Senate to override any veto by the Democratic governor and just a few short of the two-thirds majority in the House.

Although the legislative session does not begin until Jan. 5, lawmakers are allowed to “prefile” bills for the session starting the first day of December.

After GOP legislative caucuses shortly after the November elections, the new leaders selected by Republican lawmakers said they intended to have the session put first focus on economic-development issues rather than social conservative issues.

– Missouri Digital News