The Missouri Senate on Wednesday approved a supplemental budget that includes funding for schools, state worker raises and Medicaid.
The budget bill, approved 25-7, was the first one passed by the Senate this session after weeks of acrimony, mostly over congressional redistricting which is still pending.
Because changes were made by the Senate, it needs another vote from the House before it goes to Gov. Mike Parson’s desk. The original goal from the governor’s office was to pass this budget by Feb. 1.
This bill contains a 5.5% cost of living adjustment for all employees, along with enough funding for departments to raise their minimum wage to $15 an hour, if they choose.
While Parson’s initial proposal had enough funding for departments to raise the baseline wage to $15 an hour, the House modified that, only allocating enough money for some, but not all minimum wage employees to earn that amount. Others would have earned $12 an hour.
“Basically we’re really wanting to say that we are giving you the ability to be able to hire folks in these much needed areas, retain your employees and go to the market rate,” said Sen. Dan Hegeman, R-Cosby, chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee.
In addition to money for raises, the bill also includes almost $2 billion in federal funding to go to schools. Missouri is one of the last states in the country to approve spending this money and has until March 24 to do so.
The budget bill also funds the state’s Medicaid program, including...
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