For immediate release: January 24, 2024

Media contact: seth.bundy@senate.mo.gov

Senate Minority Floor Leader Rizzo Calls for Common Ground Legislation
to Take Priority over Senate Gridlock

Jefferson City – Following a week defined largely by gridlock and conflict in the Legislature’s upper chamber, Senate Minority Floor Leader John Rizzo, D-Independence, is calling for legislation with broad, bipartisan support to take priority over political theatrics.

“The majority’s fighting is masking their failures, as I believe they are failing to address the issues Missourians truly care about,” said Sen. Rizzo. “Today, those who continue to stall progress have a choice. They can get to work protecting healthcare funding, investing in our teachers and classrooms, helping parents afford the childcare they need and passing a balanced budget. Or they can keep stumbling down the dead-end-road of personal attacks and partisan pandering. The rest of us will continue to move a pro-Missouri, commonsense agenda forward, and we invite all our colleagues to join us.”

Issues identified by Sen. Rizzo that have broad bipartisan support but are being delayed include:

• Renewing Missouri’s Federal Reimbursement Allowance (FRA) language that, if not passed, would jeopardize $4.5 billion in healthcare funding for Missouri hospitals, pharmacies, ambulances, and nursing homes. A “clean FRA,” one not containing language and restrictions around issues such as abortion, has been renewed with bipartisan support 17 times over the past 30 years. 
• Approving gubernatorial appointments to help Missouri’s various, and largely voluntary, boards and commissions do their work. Currently, 25 Missourians are awaiting Senate confirmation of their appointment or reappointment, after having already been considered and approved by the Committee on Gubernatorial Appointments.
• Raising teacher pay and increasing investments in Missouri schools to help districts return to traditional five-day school weeks. Missouri has the lowest paid teachers in the country, while the state only spends about eight percent of the state budget on the foundation formula, compared to about 14 percent twenty years ago. Meanwhile, Missouri schools now receive a greater share of funding from local sources than state sources, placing an undue burden on local communities. As a result of lower teacher pay and inadequate state support, a record number of Missouri school districts have now gone to a four-day school week.
• Making childcare more affordable to help adults return to the workforce while helping more children start school ready to learn. Last year, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce released a report that found Missouri misses out on $1.35 billion annually, including a $280 million annual loss in tax revenue, due to childcare issues. Additionally, 28 percent of respondents reported that they or someone in their household has left a job or not taken a job because of problems with childcare.
• Passing a balanced budget to maintain Missouri’s AAA credit rating while funding key priorities like public education, transportation infrastructure, safety net services and workforce development. The governor is scheduled to present his budget recommendations to the General Assembly this week. 

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