Missouri State Archives
Finding Aid 5.4
Office of Secretary of State
Commissions
Executive Orders, 1943-
Abstract: Executive orders (1943-2006) signed by the governor and filed with the secretary of state.
Extent: 2.0 cubic ft. (5 legal-size hollinger boxes)
Physical Description: Paper
Location: MSA Stacks 10A/6/6
ADMINISTRATIVE INFORMATION
Access Restrictions: No special restrictions.
Publication Restrictions: Copyright is in the public domain. Items reproduced for publication should carry the credit line: Courtesy of the Missouri State Archives.
Preferred Citation: Executive Order [#], [date signed]; Commissions; Office of Secretary of State, Record Group 5; Missouri State Archives, Jefferson City.
Acquisition Information: Agency transfer. Various accessions, including 1997-0022, 2002-0042, 2005-0107, 2007-0094.
Processing Information: Processing done by various staff members. Refoldered in 2002. Accession 2002-0042 was processed by Mary Kay Coker on July 8, 2002; 2004-067 and 2004-0212 on September 15, 2004; 2005-0107 on June 27, 2005; 2007-0094 on July 6, 2007.
HISTORICAL AND BIOGRAPHICAL NOTES
Executive orders relate to the constitutional and statutory powers of the governor as chief executive and commander-in-chief of the military forces of the state of Missouri. Although not specifically called out in Missouri's constitution, they are believed to derive from Article IV, Section 2, wherein the governor "shall take care that the laws are distributed and faithfully executed." Executive orders have the force of law and are applied and enforced unless overturned by legislative or judicial action.
By executive order, the governor may call out the state guard; declare a state of emergency; bestow military awards; remove officials from office; order guard units to active duty; authorize the destruction of public records (until 1965); promulgate militia rules and regulations; designate state holidays; create agencies, boards, commissions, and councils; and generally administer government.
ADDITIONAL DESCRIPTIVE INFORMATION
Bibliography
Burns, James R. The use of the executive order by the governors of Missouri 1941-1985. Ann Arbor, Michigan: University Microfilms, 1995.
Other Finding Aids
See finding aids in Record Group 3, Office of Governor, for earlier or duplicate copies of executive orders.
EXECUTIVE ORDERS, 1943-
Extent: 2.0 cubic ft. (5 Hollinger boxes)
Arrangement: Chronological by date filed
Scope and Content
Although executive orders were issued well before 1943, when this series begins, most apparently did not survive or they are found in other series. For instance, the infamous "Extermination Order" of Governor Lilburn W. Boggs, giving the militia the power to "exterminate" or drive out Mormons from Missouri, is found in the series Mormon War Papers.
The executive orders found within this series are the official copies signed by the governor, signed and filed with Secretary of State, and affixed (or impressed) with the official state seal. Occasionally the original is missing and only a photocopy remains in the file. Duplicates may be found in Record Group 3, Office of Governor. The Omnibus State Reorganization Act of 1974 accounts for the large files for June of that year. Service awards are filed with the executive orders until 1985; afterwards, they are found in their own series.
| Location | Box | Folder | Contents |
|---|---|---|---|
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 1 | 1943 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 2 | 1945 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 3 | 1946 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 4 | 1947 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 5 | 1948 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 6 | 1949 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 7 | 1950 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 8 | 1951 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 9 | 1952 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 10 | 1953 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 11 | 1954 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 12 | 1955 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 13 | 1956 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 14 | 1957 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 15 | 1958 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 16 | 1959 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 17 | 1960 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 18 | 1961 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 19 | 1962 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 20 | 1963 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 21 | 1964 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 22 | 1965 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 23 | 1966 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 24 | 1967 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 25 | 1968 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 26 | 1969 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 27 | 1970 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 28 | 1971 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 29 | 1972 |
| 10A/6/6 | 1 | 30 | 1973 |
| 10A/6/6 | 2 | 1 | January - May 1974 |
| 10A/6/6 | 2 | 2 | June 1974 (Part 1) |
| 10A/6/6 | 2 | 3 | June 1974 (Part 2) |
| 10A/6/6 | 2 | 4 | June 1974 (Part 3) |
| 10A/6/6 | 2 | 5 | July - December 1974 |
| 10A/6/6 | 2 | 6 | January - June 1975 |
| 10A/6/6 | 2 | 7 | July - December 1975 |
| 10A/6/6 | 2 | 8 | January - June 1976 |
| 10A/6/6 | 2 | 9 | July - December 1976 |
| 10A/6/6 | 2 | 10 | 1977 |
| 10A/6/6 | 3 | 1 | 1978 |
| 10A/6/6 | 3 | 2 | 1979 |
| 10A/6/6 | 3 | 3 | 1980 |
| 10A/6/6 | 3 | 4 | 1981 |
| 10A/6/6 | 3 | 5 | 1982 |
| 10A/6/6 | 3 | 6 | 1983 |
| 10A/6/6 | 3 | 7 | 1984 |
| 10A/6/6 | 3 | 8 | 1985 |
| 10A/6/6 | 3 | 9 | 1986 |
| 10A/6/6 | 3 | 10 | 1987 |
| 10A/6/6 | 3 | 11 | 1988 |
| 10A/6/6 | 4 | 1 | 1989 |
| 10A/6/6 | 4 | 2 | 1990 |
| 10A/6/6 | 4 | 3 | 1991 |
| 10A/6/6 | 4 | 4 | 1992 |
| 10A/6/6 | 4 | 5 | 1993 |
| 10A/6/6 | 4 | 6 | 1994 |
| 10A/6/6 | 4 | 7 | 1995 |
| 10A/6/6 | 4 | 8 | 1996 |
| 10A/6/6 | 4 | 9 | 1997 |
| 10A/6/6 | 4 | 10 | 1998 |
| 10A/6/6 | 4 | 11 | 1999 |
| 10A/6/6 | 4 | 12 | 2000 |
| 10A/6/6 | 4 | 13 | 2001 |
| 10A/6/6 | 4 | 14 | 2002 |
| 10A/6/6 | 4 | 15 | 2003 |
| 10A/6/6 | 5 | 1 | 2004 |
| 10A/6/6 | 5 | 2 | 2005 |
| 10A/6/6 | 5 | 3 | 2006 |