With all the legislative bills that come through the General Assembly, the single most important job we as legislators do is pass a balanced operating budget.

This arduous task often takes weeks or months to complete. Public hearings are held to give citizens and state agencies an opportunity to voice their opinions on the fate of the various slices of the $26.1 billion dollar pie. Our responsibility is to give taxpayers the most value for their hard-earned tax dollars. This year, we have passed the most conservative spending plan in quite some time, and debate over this process Tuesday night lasted into the early Wednesday morning hours in the Senate chamber.

While the Senate passed this fiscally conservative version of the budget ahead of schedule, the process of hammering out the differences between the House and Senate’s versions of the budget still lie ahead. The Budget Conference committees next week will begin looking at the details and make sure that Missouri is spending within its means.  

The state budget consists of 13 separate legislative bills, with about 1,500 line-item details for various allocations. These bills provide funding for K-12 and higher education, including funds for the Missouri University of Science and Technology in Rolla, MO HealthNet, Public Health services, the WIC program, and many other essential state programs for Missouri citizens.

The Senate’s version also includes funds for Base Realignment and Closure (BRAC) to protect Fort Leonard Wood, Whiteman AFB, and the National Geospatial Intelligence Agency. It’s essential to me to protect military presence in Missouri and to protect the many jobs in this sector for our citizens.   

For a closer look at all of the FY 2016 budget bills and their current allocations, click here.

I always encourage my constituents to feel free to contact me throughout the year with comments, questions or suggestions by calling my office at (573) 751-5713. To find more information about the bills I sponsor, or visit www.senate.mo.gov/brown.