JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – A Missouri judge has ruled against a challenge to the state Senate’s vote overriding Gov. Jay Nixon’s veto of measure that could reduce the number of weeks residents can collect unemployment benefits.

The Jefferson City News Tribune (http://bit.ly/1l3yP60 ) reports the judge ruled last week against the challenge from the AFL-CIO, which represents various unions. AFL-CIO filed a lawsuit challenging the override vote, six days after the veto session.

The Senate voted on Sept. 16 to override the governor’s veto of the bill that was passed. The bill established three changes to unemployment regulations that will go into effect Jan. 1, including decreasing the number of weeks the unemployed can collect benefits.

The judge said the override vote was constitutional because the Missouri Constitution does not prohibit the Senate from taking the vote in a veto session, months after the House had voted.