Missouri Senate Passes State Budget
As legislators, the only thing we are constitutionally required to do is pass a balanced budget. Every year we work to craft a budget that finds the best way to fund public schools, better manage the ever-rising costs of Medicaid in Missouri and still take care of those individuals who are the most vulnerable in the state. Even in tough fiscal years like this one, we will work diligently to make sure we are fulfilling our duty to our citizens.
This week, the Senate approved the $27.8 billion operating budget for the Show-Me State. While the Senate and House differed on certain line-items, for the first time in a decade, the Missouri General Assembly will fully fund the state’s education Foundation Formula.
The work is not over yet. The Senate will still need to conference with the House on most of the budget bills before they are sent to the governor for his signature. The next fiscal year begins on July 1. The General Assembly has until 6 p.m. on May 5, 2017 to get the final budget to the governor’s desk. I have included a more detailed look and some budget highlights into each budget bill, below.
Missouri Senate Budget:
| Senate Budget Highlights: $27.8 Billion Operating Budget
House Bill 1 – Public Debt · $42.3 million for debt and bonds. House Bill 2 – DESE · $5.99 billion dollars in total funding · Foundation Formula fully funded – increase of $48.2 million – total = $3.392 billion. · Nearly $13 million increase for the High Need Fund – total = $59.5 million · About $12 million increase for Early Childhood Special Education – total = $183.2 million House Bill 3 – Higher Education · $1.18 billion dollars in total funding · Access MO Scholarship Program total funding $76.5 million · $4 million increase for Bright Flight total = $24.7 million · Reduction of 9 % for State Technical College, Community Colleges, and a 6% reduction for the UM System. House Bill 4 – Dept of Revenue and Dept of Transportation · $2.26 billion dollars in total funding · $62 million State Road Fund projects for 2017-2021 · $3.1 million for ports including 1.22 million for Jefferson County’s Kimmswick Project House Bill 5 – OA, Transportation, and Public Safety · $1 billion dollars in total funding · $15.2 million increase for Legal Expense Fund · $2 million for Information Technology Security for the State (cyber security) House Bill 6 – Dept of Agriculture, Dept of Natural Resources, Dept of Conservation |
| · $40 million dollars for the Department of Agriculture
· $580 million dollars for the Department of Natural Resources · $154 million dollars for the Department of Conservation House Bill 7 – Eco Devo, Insurance, Financial Institutions, Pro. Registration, Labor $306 million dollars for the Department of Economic Development · $44 million for the Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration · $210 million dollars for the Department of Labor and Industrial Relations House Bill 8 – Department of Public Safety · $707 million in total funding · $1.9 million for Criminal Records System Fund · $1 million for assistance to volunteer fire department · $786,750 for crime lab House Bill 9 – Department of Corrections · $757 million in total funding House Bill 10 – Dept of Mental Health, DHSS, and Board of Public Buildings · $2.1 billion for the Department of Mental Health · $1.3 billion for the Department of Health and Senior Service House Bill 11 – Dept of Social Services · $9.51 billion for the Department of Social Services House Bill 12 – Elected Officials, Judiciary, Office of Public Offender, and General Assembly · $121 million for Elected Officials · $216 million for the Judiciary · $44 million for Public Defenders · $36 million for the General Assembly |