JEFFERSON CITY — Gov. Jay Nixon has vetoed legislation that would have relaxed Missouri's mandatory helmet law for motorcycle riders.
Nixon said Thursday that he rejected the bill because keeping the helmet requirement was the "safe and cost-effective choice for Missouri."
The legislation would have allowed people 21 and older to ride without helmets on all roads except interstate highways.
After the measure was approved by lawmakers, it became the focus of an intense lobbying campaign.
The governor's office received more than 1,000 letters and e-mails, many urging Nixon to sign the bill. The Missouri Department of Transportation commissioned a poll in an effort to persuade Nixon to veto it.