Missouri lawmakers begin work on Trump-backed congressional redistricting plan

by Jason Hancock, Missouri Independent
September 3, 2025

The push to gerrymander Missouri’s congressional districts to create another GOP-leaning seat officially kicked off Wednesday with Democrats alleging the House violated the constitution by conducting business without a quorum. 

Only around 20 lawmakers were present Wednesday afternoon when the Missouri House convened for the beginning of a special legislative session focused on changing the congressional map and making it harder for voters to amend the state constitution. 

Bills were introduced and public hearings were scheduled for Thursday. 

Rep. Emanuel Cleaver promises lawsuit if Missouri Republicans gerrymander his district

Democrats were quick to point out a quorum of 82 members is required by the constitution for the House to conduct business. And although historically the chamber has utilized “technical sessions” for routine business when a quorum is not present, House Minority Leader Ashley Aune said “that doesn’t make it legal or right.”

“The stakes are too high in this special session to allow this illegal practice to continue unchallenged,” said Aune, a Kansas City Democrat. 

Mid-decade redistricting is rare. In Missouri, it hasn’t happened since the 1960s. 

But President Donald Trump, facing a potentially difficult midterm election cycle next year, has demanded GOP-controlled states redraw maps to add more Republican seats.

Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe answered the call last week, ordering the legislature back into session to carve up one of the state’s two districts held by a Democrat.

The goal is to ensure seven of Missouri’s eight congressional districts are controlled by Republicans. In the crosshairs is the 5th District, based in Kansas City and currently held by 11-term U.S. Rep. Emanuel Cleaver. 

While eliminating a Democratic congressional seat has taken center stage, Republican lawmakers are also hoping to change the initiative petition process to require a statewide majority and a majority vote in all eight of the state’s congressional districts in order to approve a constitutional amendment. 

Currently, a simple majority is all that is required. 

The redistricting plan is being shepherded through the legislative process by state Rep. Dirk Deaton, a Noel Republican and chairman of the House Budget Committee. A special committee created by Speaker Jon Patterson will hold a public hearing Thursday at noon in the Missouri Capitol.

Another committee will hold a public hearing Thursday at 1 p.m. for the proposed changes to the initiative petition process. State Rep. Ed Lewis, a Moberly Republican, is sponsoring the legislation which, if passed by both the House and Senate, would require voter approval next year. 

The House is expected to debate and vote on both bills early next week. The Senate is scheduled to convene Wednesday to begin its work.

Proposed congressional maps released Friday by the governor’s office.

Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: [email protected].

Missouri House Republicans receive $25,000 donation from Kansas City Chiefs

by Jason Hancock, Missouri Independent
August 13, 2025

The Kansas City Chiefs donated $25,000 on Tuesday to a political action committee supporting Republican candidates for the Missouri House. 

The donation, the first major contribution the team made in Missouri this year, comes roughly two months after the legislature approved a $1.5 billion stadium funding plan aimed at convincing the Chiefs and Royals to stay in Missouri.

Last year, the team spent more than $3 million supporting a ballot measure seeking to extend a three-eights-cent sales tax to finance a renovation of Arrowhead Stadium and the construction of a new downtown ballpark for the Royals. 

The Royals donated around $2.5 million to the effort, as well as $260,000 to various local political organizations. 

However, voters resoundingly rejected the extension of the sales tax.

Tuesday’s $25,000 check went to the House Republican Campaign Committee. The same day, the PAC received $30,000 from Missouri Soybean Association; $10,000 from Mo Medical PAC; and $5,500 from state Rep. Dean Van Schoiack.

The Chiefs and Royals have played in side-by-side stadiums for five decades and share a lease at the Truman Sports Complex that runs through Jan. 31, 2031. As the expiration date nears, legislators in Missouri and Kansas have battled to present the best financial framework to attract the teams to their respective sides of the state line. 

Missouri lawmakers approved legislation to allocate state taxes collected from economic activity at Arrowhead and Kauffman to bond payments for renovations at Arrowhead and a new stadium for the Royals in either Jackson or Clay counties.

The cost is estimated at close to $1.5 billion over 30 years and could cover up to half the costs of stadium construction.

Two Republicans state legislators filed a lawsuit late last month asking a judge to declare the incentives package unconstitutional because it also includes provisions unrelated to stadium funding.

Kansas lawmakers have put a deal on the table that would use state incentives to pay for up to 70% of the costs of new stadiums. That deal originally expired June 30, but Chiefs President Mark Donovan successfully lobbied for the deadline to be extended in order to continue negotiations with Kansas on building a stadium, team headquarters, practice facility and related business developments. 

Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: [email protected].

Missouri lawmakers could return to session this fall to debate property taxes

by Jason Hancock, Missouri Independent
June 25, 2025

Questions about the constitutionality of a property tax cap included in the governor’s stadium funding plan earlier this month may draw Missouri lawmakers back into session later this year.

House Speaker Jon Patterson, a Lee’s Summit Republican, on Monday formed the Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform and empowered it to study Missouri’s property tax system and recommend “solutions to ensure fairness, transparency and sustainability for taxpayers and municipalities across the state.”

The committee’s formation comes on the heels of Patterson floating the idea of a special legislative session in September, when lawmakers are already required to consider whether to override gubernatorial vetoes.

“You go around to any of the counties… and they’re bringing up property taxes,” Patterson said earlier this month. “This is a huge problem. I would say it goes to crisis levels.”

Asked about the possibility of convening another special session focused on property taxes, a spokeswoman for Missouri Gov. Mike Kehoe said he has been “in discussions on this issue and looks forward to reviewing the work of the Special Interim Committee on Property Tax Reform.”

Property taxes are the main source of revenue for local governments, funding schools, public safety and other functions. Rising housing costs, coupled with property reassessments, have put the way the taxes are calculated under the microscope, with lawmakers looking to provide relief to taxpayers without bankrupting local governments.

Missouri school funding task force turns its attention to property tax inequities

The topic even emerged as part of discussion over the state’s public school funding formula. A state task force created to study Missouri’s education spending spent its latest hearing this week focused on how property taxes have contributed funding inequities.

Kehoe called lawmakers back into session earlier this month to consider a $1.5 billion incentive package for professional sports stadiums in Kansas City, he agreed to allow an amendment requiring most counties to put a hard cap on increases in property tax bills.

In 75 counties, tax bills would not increase more than 5% per year from a base amount, or the rate of inflation, whichever is greater. In 22 others, no increase in the basic bill would be allowed.There are exceptions built in for newly voted levies and the additional value from improvements.

Many of the larger counties of the state, including Boone, Greene, Jackson, St. Louis County and the city of St. Louis, were excluded altogether from the legislation.

The property tax amendment caused a fissure among conservatives in the Missouri Senate. Some supported the measure in an attempt to win tax relief concessions during the special session. Others decried it as an unconstitutional bait and switch designed to fool taxpayers, pointing to a requirement in the Missouri Constitution that property taxes be “uniform upon the same class or subclass of subjects.”

Even Patterson, who voted in support of the bill that included stadium funding and the property tax cap, acknowledged questions about whether it could survive a constitutional challenge.

“One thing I don’t do is guess what is going to happen in our courts,” Patterson said. “I’ve heard from a lot of attorneys that say it absolutely is. I’ve heard from some that said that it isn’t. I do think it’s constitutional.”

The interim committee created by Patterson will hold seven hearings across the state this summer to gather input and explore legislative solutions. State Rep. Tim Taylor, a Republican from Bunceton, will serve as chairman.

State Rep. Kathy Steinhoff, a Columbia Democrat, will serve as the ranking minority member.

“Property taxes are one of the most common concerns we hear from Missourians,” Taylor said, “and it’s clear that our system needs a closer look.”

This story was updated at 11:45 a.m. to include comment from the governor’s office and again at 12:55 p.m. to correct the details of the property tax legislation passed this month.

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Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: [email protected].

Missouri governor allows more spending, property tax cap as he pursues stadium deal

by Rudi Keller, Missouri Independent
June 5, 2025

Gov. Mike Kehoe expanded the agenda of the special session Wednesday enough to win Missouri Senate passage of bills with money for disaster recovery in St. Louis, changes to property taxes policies and tax incentives to finance new or improved stadiums in Kansas City. 

Initially scheduled to go in at 10 a.m., the Senate finally convened about seven hours later. Talks over what sweeteners Kehoe needed to get his key objective — tax incentives to finance new or renovated stadiums for the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals —- culminated in his revised agenda.

“After productive conversations with members of the Missouri General Assembly this week, we are amending our special session call to allow for additional legislation in the areas of disaster relief, tax policy, and budget investments,” Kehoe said in a news release. “We appreciate legislators working together to use this as an opportunity to show up for our communities by acting swiftly to help those in crisis, while also making smart decisions that secure opportunity for the future.”

Under the constitutional limits on a special session, the governor must “state specifically each matter on which action is deemed necessary.” Any attempt to address an issue not listed in the call for the session can be ruled out of order.

The special session began Monday and can continue for up to 60 days. Kehoe is seeking quick action because both teams have offers from Kansas to relocate.

The spending bill passed 23-10 in the early morning on Thursday, winning with a coalition of Democrats and Republicans with only Republicans opposed. The bill to finance the stadiums went to the House on a 19-13 vote, with three Democrats joining 10 Republicans in opposition.  

For several hours the chamber stalled on the stadium bill, working late into the night. The bill includes all the tax provisions necessary to finance the stadiums, plus disaster relief provisions and an expansion of a tax credit program supporting amateur sporting events.

Shortly before 1 a.m., the impasse cleared and bill sponsored by state Sen. Kurtis Gregory was given initial approval. Within a few hours, the final votes were held and the Senate adjourned until June 16.

For several hours, debate focused on a proposal from state Sen. Joe Nicola, a Republican from Independence, to freeze the maximum increase in annual property tax bills at 5% in some counties.

State Sen. Tracy McCreery, a Democrat from Olivette, took a vocal stand Wednesday night opposing state funding for stadiums in Kansas City and St. Louis. She is show during the May 14 session when Republicans used a procedural move to shut down debate on a constitutional amendment to ban abortion (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).

Then state Sen. Tracy McCreery, a Democrat from Olivette, said she had heard enough.

“This discussion that we’ve had the last several hours is just an effort for the governor to try to get a couple of votes out of the Freedom Caucus for the stadium funding scheme,” McCreery said.

She said Kehoe agreed to Nicola’s amendment and added it to the call to wear down opposition. Then she blamed Kehoe and Republicans for using a procedural move to shut down debate during the regular session on an abortion ban and repeal of the sick leave law approved by voters in November.

Kehoe could have had the stadium plan passed if the procedural move was not used, McCreery said. 

“Here we are tonight, masquerading that we care about people and the amount of money that they’re paying for things,” McCreery said. 

Democrats don’t trust Republicans, she said, and the Senate should not trust the House. Until the appropriation bill, which totals $361 million including $175 million in general revenue, passes the House.

The House refused to pass a bill with $235 million of the same projects and $282 million of additional spending during the session. House Republican leaders waited for the Senate to adjourn on the last day for passing appropriations before revealing that the bill would be spiked. 

“We should not be doing anything until (the spending bill is passed) and over the House, and then the House has to have it on its way to the governor before we should be taking any action on anything else,” McCreery said.

The stadium funding plan would allocate state taxes collected from economic activity at Arrowhead and Kauffman to bond payments for renovations at Arrowhead and a new stadium for the Royals in Jackson or Clay counties.

The cost is estimated at close to $1.5 billion over 30 years.

State Sen. Kurtis Gregory, a Republican from Marshall and sponsor of the stadium bill, said the public support for keeping the Chiefs and Royals in Missouri was both a good economic investment and a good investment in the state’s image.

“What’s at stake if those teams go across the state line is over $2 billion of economic activity inside of the state of Missouri, over 13,000 jobs, and we just let the state of Kansas poach the pride and joy of the western side of the state,” Gregory said.

The teams must give Kansas an answer by June 30 on an offer to pay 70% of the cost of new stadiums. Missouri’s offer is to cover about half the cost.

Some senators have grumbled that the teams should make a commitment to stay in Missouri if the bill is passed. Gregory said their desire to stay should be apparent.

“I also contend that the teams want to stay in Missouri, because if they wanted to go to Kansas, I believe they would have already signed on the dotted line to move those teams,” Gregory said.

The spending bill was increased because of demands from St. Louis Democrats that Kehoe address the uncertainty over when or whether President Donald Trump will declare a federal disaster for the May 16 St. Louis tornado.

That brought a new $100 million appropriation for storm victims in the city of St. Louis. Previously, the disaster provisions in the call — $25 million for the Missouri Housing Trust Fund to be distributed by the Missouri Housing Development Commission and a tax credit for amounts paid as insurance deductibles — were all applied equally to counties included in disaster requests. Kehoe has submitted four storm events this spring, with damage in 37 counties, to Trump for disaster requests. Two have been granted.

The magnitude of the St. Louis tornado — a 22-mile path of destruction that cost five Missouri lives and damaged an estimated $1.6 billion in property damage — surpasses all other damage so far in the state.

Damage to public property in the two disasters that have been declared is estimated at $52 million.

The other new money added to the spending bill settled an issue for state Sen. Stephen Webber, a Democrat from Columbia. A state contribution to the new research reactor at the University of Missouri, which Kehoe cut from $50 million to $25 million to find money for disaster aid, was returned to $50 million.

Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove, speaks in defense of Freedom Caucus members during a May 14, 2024, debate. (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).

The only opposition to the spending bill on the floor came from state Sen. Mike Moon, a Republican from Ash Grove, who said the university should tap its $1.4 billion endowment to pay for the reactor. 

And Moon said he didn’t like the disaster relief funds.

“The money that is going to be received by those who were hurt is nowhere near the amount that’s going to cause them to be compensated and fully restored,” Moon said.

If the state starts paying to repair property after storms, he said, people will not buy insurance.

“I don’t think some of this is the proper function of government,” Moon said. “Compassion, certainly. But unless people take personal responsibility and do the things they should be doing so that we don’t have to, when is this going to end?”

The tax change Nicola is trying to enact would cap increases in real property tax bills at 5% every two years, corresponding to the reassessment cycle. Officials in 34 counties would have the option of putting the cap in place through a ballot measure.

The proposal is a response to rapid increases in property values and the resulting increase in tax bills. There was no estimate available of the potential cost to local governments. Nicola said there were enough protections to make sure all current revenue is maintained and new voter-approved levies are paid.

“Our property tax system in this state, in my opinion, is a disaster,” Nicola said.

The amendment is the price of his vote, he told the Senate.

“I am a hard no on the stadium tax bill unless we get some solid property tax relief for my people in Jackson County,” Nicola said. “I told the governor of this on Monday I can count on one hand how many of my constituents want me to vote for the stadium.”

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Bill legalizing video lottery games narrowly passes Missouri House

by Rudi Keller, Missouri Independent
April 9, 2025

After a heavy lobbying effort, backers of video lottery games squeezed a slim majority out of the Missouri House on Wednesday, sending a bill promising $350 million a year for schools to the state Senate.

By an 83-73 vote — just one more than the minimum needed to pass — the House approved the bill that also promises to remove “gray market machines” from retail locations.

“This is not a solution in search of a problem,” said the sponsor, Republican Rep. Bill Hardwick of Dixon. “We have a genuine problem, a money problem, a regulatory problem, a commerce problem, and this is a solution for all of that.”

House leadership held the tally board open for more than 15 minutes as they searched for the votes needed to pass. The bill was given first-round approval on Monday but with only 74 votes.

After that backers and opponents scrambled to find votes, with both sides claiming Tuesday that they would prevail.

The bill faces an uncertain future in the state Senate. Three video lottery bills have been proposed in the upper chamber but none have been given a hearing.

In the final vote, 54 Republicans were joined by 29 Democrats to pass the bill, while 18 Democrats and 55 Republicans opposed it. 

Passing video lottery bill would be ‘a heavy lift’ in Missouri Senate

The bill received support from nine of 10 Republicans who were absent on Monday and present on Wednesday. Five GOP members on each side of the question switched from yes to no or vice-versa.

Among Democrats, four members absent on Monday voted yes on Wednesday, while two Monday absentees voted no. Only one Democrat switched sides, voting no on Wednesday after voting yes on Monday. 

Under the bill, the Missouri Lottery would be given the job of licensing video lottery terminal vendors and regulating their use in retail locations. While there would be a cap of eight machines in any location, the total number of machines that would be in use statewide is not capped.

The House added an amendment so counties and cities will be able to authorize — or ban — video lottery games in their home communities. It also added an amendment that declares any unlicensed games that offer cash prizes to winners to be illegal slot machines.

The games resembling casino slot machines that can be seen at retail locations throughout the state are unregulated. Called gray market or “no chance” games, operators claim they are not illegal under current law because a player can learn the outcome of the next play before committing their money.

The options for a player with a pending losing bet are to change games in search of a winner, ending their playing session or deliberately losing the bet to get to the next outcome.

The Missouri State Highway Patrol has tried to initiate prosecutions under anti-gambling laws, but most prosecutors have been reluctant to file charges.

And after years of operation, convenience store owners, fraternal lodges and other establishments have become dependent on the revenue.

The video lottery machines will be more trustworthy, supporters say, because the machines will be required to pay out at least 80% of the money wagered in prizes. 

The remainder will be split three ways — the lottery will receive 34% of the net to support state education programs, with retailers and operators splitting the other 66%. The fiscal note for the bill estimates that within three years, there will be $1.1 billion annually for the three-way split generating approximately $350 million in state revenue.

Some opponents of the measure argue it is not strong enough to force gray market machine operators to shut down. Others said they do not support any expansion of gambling.

“I fully support my American Legion and VFW,” said state Rep. Dean Van Schoiack, a Republican from Savannah, “but they better be able to find a better way to raise funds than stealing from their members and their patrons.”

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Lawmakers and business groups push rollback of Missouri minimum wage hike, sick leave law

by Clara Bates, Missouri Independent
March 12, 2025

Months after Missouri voters overwhelmingly approved a minimum wage increase and paid sick leave requirements, the new laws face challenges this week in court and the state legislature. 

On Wednesday, the state Supreme Court Court heard arguments in a lawsuit seeking to strike down Proposition A, which guarantees sick leave for hundreds of thousands of workers and gradually hikes the minimum wage to $15. 

A day earlier, the Missouri House gave initial approval to a bill repealing the sick leave law and modifying the minimum wage. 

“This is a one-two punch to businesses, and it creates a one size fits all approach,” said Republican state Rep. Sherri Gallick of Belton, who is sponsoring the legislation targeting the paid sick leave law. 

A coalition of business groups and individuals argued Wednesday morning to the Missouri Supreme Court that the minimum wage and paid sick leave laws should be thrown out for violating constitutional rules on ballot initiatives.

“Both on the statutory side and the constitutional side, voters were misled,” Marc Ellinger, an attorney representing the plaintiffs, told the court. “The constitution was not complied with.”

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The lawsuit, filed late last year, argues the election results should be overturned because of several alleged constitutional violations, including violations of the state constitution’s single-subject requirement and a lack of a clear title. 

It also contends that sick time and minimum wage are distinct issues that violate the single-subject rule, which should result in the election outcome being invalidated. It requests a new election be held, alleging the ballot title, which includes a summary of the proposition and its potential cost to the state, was misleading. 

“This case is an example of where all of those procedures have been ignored,” Ellinger said.

A lawyer for Missouri Jobs with Justice, which led the campaign in support of Proposition A, said the court should uphold the law if at all possible, since voters approved it.

“The challengers ask you to overturn the will of the voters who exercised their fundamental right of the initiative,” said attorney Loretta Haggard, “based on technical issues that were not raised before the election.”

The measure won by a margin of over 400,000 votes. Haggard and other attorneys representing the responding parties wrote in a recent filing that the plaintiffs are asking the court “to tell these voters that their votes do not matter, and the court, not the people, will decide whether Proposition A should stay in effect,” calling it an “extraordinary request.” 

Andrew Crane, an assistant attorney general representing the Secretary of State on Wednesday, defended the single subject of employee compensation, saying sick leave and pay “logically relate together… these are the kind things that employees and lawyers consider in any hiring decision.” 

Robert Tillman, representing the auditor’s office, defended the fiscal note summary and said the plaintiffs didn’t prove any alleged irregularities that would have impacted the election.

“Even if contestants could establish election irregularities, they must then demonstrate that such irregularity sufficiently cast doubt for the entire election, to justify a new election.” Tillman said. “…As you can see from the record, contestants have offered no such evidence.”

The judges asked a few questions about whether they have jurisdiction to review the case, or whether a lower court would be the more appropriate venue.

Prop A passed with 58% of the vote and had the support of numerous unions, workers’ advocacy groups, social justice and civil rights organizations, as well as over 500 business owners. A group of businesses filed a friend-of-the-court brief in this case defending the proposition. 

Under the law, beginning May 1, the law requires employers with business receipts greater than $500,000 a year to provide at least one hour of paid leave for every 30 hours worked. Employers with fewer than 15 workers must allow workers to earn at least 40 hours per year, with larger employers mandated to allow at least 56 hours. 

Legislature

On Tuesday, a bill in Missouri’s House to overturn the sick leave provisions and modify the minimum wage provisions was given initial approval. It needs to be approved one more time in the House before heading to the Senate for consideration.

Because the measure changed state law and not the constitution, the legislature can modify or overturn it without returning for a new vote of the people.

Gallick’s bill would repeal the paid sick leave provisions approved by voters.

It would also modify the minimum wage increase by no longer indexing it to inflation, a policy that has been in place since 2007. The minimum wage would still increase to $15 per hour in 2026, as voters approved, but it would not be adjusted for inflation thereafter. 

Gallick has argued employees will “abuse” the sick leave.

In states that have adopted sick leave mandates, employees take, on average, two more sick days a year than prior to the law going into effect, a National Bureau of Economic Research report found.

Studies have found that offering paid sick time can increase workers’ productivity and reduce illness, and generally adds little or nothing to business expenses.

States with paid sick leave laws, as of Dec. 2024 (Screenshot: U.S. Department of Labor issue brief).

Republican state Rep. Scott Miller from St. Charles said “just because 57% of the people that voted that day, voted in favor of something, that doesn’t make it right. “They’re taking away the choice of businesses to engage in free market.”

Businesses are not equipped to handle the additional expenses from the proposition, said Republican state Rep. Jeff Vernetti of from Camdenton.

“I know that the will of the people will be brought up several times in this and I think that we’ve also got to represent the 87 counties that did not vote for this,” Vernetti said. “I think it’s our duty to respect the will of the people, but also at the same time, safeguard the long term prosperity of Missouri.”

Rep. Eric Woods, a Democrat from Kansas City, pointed out that Prop A passed in rural counties as well, including Clark, Adair, Mississippi and Henry.

“This isn’t a situation where Proposition A just passed in the cities,” he said, “this was a broad acceptance percentage wise.” 

Lawmakers are wrong to treat voters as having been oblivious to what they were voting on, said state Rep. Keri Ingle, a Democrat from Lee’s Summit.

“The part that irks me is that you guys repeatedly call your constituents dumb,” Ingle said. “You say that they’re too stupid to understand what they voted for. I mean, you don’t use those words, but they hear you loud and clear, and they continue to vote for these policies.”

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Child care tax credits legislation scores bipartisan support in Missouri House

by Natanya Friedheim, Missouri Independent
February 25, 2025

A bill to create three new child care tax credits received initial approval by the Missouri House on Tuesday. A similar measure received bipartisan support last year but fell victim to Republican infighting in the Senate.

The measure would help employers foot the bill for their employees’ child care costs and encourage existing providers to grow their capacity. Shields said three-fourths of Missouri’s 115 counties are considered “child care deserts.” It needs to be approved one more time in the House before heading to the Senate.

“We have a child care crisis in our state. We’re all familiar with it,” state Rep. Brenda Shields, a Republican from St. Joseph, who sponsored the bill, said during House debate Tuesday. “We hear from our business leaders across the state that they have trouble recruiting and retaining employees because the lack of child care.”

The bill creates three tax credits. Under the first, people or businesses who donate to child care centers would receive a tax credit worth 75% of their donation. The donor cannot personally benefit from the contribution; for example, a parent cannot make a donation and expect lower tuition.

The second is for businesses that help pay for their employees’ child care costs or create child care programs for their employee’s children.

The third allows child care providers to claim a tax credit worth up to 30% of expenses related to construction projects. The credit also grants tax relief equal to the provider’s employer withholding tax, which applies to providers with at least three employees who work at least 10 hours per week and have been employed for at least three months.

A number of business groups have voiced support for the measure, including the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry and the Columbia Chamber of Commerce.

“Without child care, Missouri’s economy cannot grow,” Shields said.

The credits cannot be transferred to another person or entity and cannot reduce a citizen’s tax burden below zero, meaning the credits cannot be used to add to a tax refund. The measures proposed this year would expire in 2026 without reapproval by the legislature due to a “sunset” provision included in the bill. Parents would not be able to claim tax credits for child care tuition under any of the proposed credits.

State Rep. Sherri Gallick, a Republican from Belton, spoke about her own experience as a single parent while voicing her support for the bill.

“My career took a backseat because I didn’t have adequate child care,” she said.

Earlier, the bill passed unanimously out of the House Economic Development Committee. Three of 10 members of the rules committee, all Republicans, voted against its passage, and it faced additional Republican opposition on the floor.

STate Rep. Jamie Gragg, an Ozark Republican, said the credits would pit the school system in competition with day cares. State Rep. Terry Thompson, a Lexington Republican, also spoke in opposition to the measure, citing a bill he said he planned to propose. This is the third year Shields has introduced tax credits for child care costs.

“Right now,” Shields said, “child care costs more than your freshman year at university.”

This story originally appeared in the Columbia Missourian. It can be republished in print or online. 

Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: [email protected].

Missouri Republicans consider delaying voter-approved minimum wage hike, paid sick leave

by Rudi Keller, Missouri Independent
February 5, 2025

A bill changing the terms of the Missouri minimum wage law approved by voters four months ago will leave all the promised benefits in place but may delay their implementation, the chairman of a House committee looking at the law said Wednesday.

State Rep. David Casteel, a High Ridge Republican, told members of the House Commerce Committee during a hearing that they will rewrite the several bills seeking to change Proposition A. That process will take time, he said, telling them not to expect a vote at the panel’s regular meeting next week.

“No one in this body is trying to overturn the choice of the people,” Casteel said.

In an interview, Casteel said he’s considering ideas that would delay a minimum wage increase set for Jan. 1, 2026, or the provision requiring most employers to offer paid sick and family leave.

“We’re going to get into the nitty gritty of everything within the bill,” Casteel said. “There’s a lot we don’t like, and there’s a lot we do like, about all the bills that have been and will be presented.”

Republicans who control the legislature must find a sweet spot between the 58% majority who approved Proposition A and the major business groups who opposed the measure and are among the GOP’s most reliable supporters.

Proposition A increased the minimum wage in Missouri to $13.75 an hour on Jan. 1 and $15 an hour next year. In future years, the wage would be adjusted for changes in prices, a provision that has been in state law since 2006. It also requires employers with business receipts greater than $500,000 a year to provide one hour of paid sick and family time for every 30 hours worked.

The paid leave provisions take effect May 1.

On Wednesday, the Commerce Committee held public hearings on two of the five bills on its agenda that would alter aspects of Proposition A.

One of the bills, filed by state Rep. Carolyn Caton, a Republican from Blue Springs, would repeal the inflation adjustment. It would also allow employers to pay workers younger than 20 the federal minimum wage of $7.25 an hour and exempt all employers with business receipts less than $10 million annually.

“It isn’t that we don’t want to pay people,” Caton said. “We want to pay people well, but we need to do so in a manner that is going to protect our small businesses.”

The other bill, filed by state Rep. Scott Miller, a Republican from St. Charles, would exempt workers under 21 from the state minimum wage and businesses with fewer than 50 employees. It would also allow employers to reduce the final paycheck of anyone who doesn’t give at least two weeks notice before quitting, or any employee who violates the provisions of the employer’s worker handbook.

“If a business is going to be obligated by law to pay a minimum wage, which is, frankly, the government is price-fixing labor, then the government ought to performance-fix the employees,” Miller said.

The campaign to pass Proposition A drew no large-scale opposition prior to the vote. But a court challenge filed in early December by major business advocacy groups asks the Missouri Supreme Court to invalidate the vote. The court has set the case for arguments on March 12.

At the same time, those business groups — Associated Industries of Missouri, the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry and industry groups representing retailers, restaurants and grocers — are urging lawmakers to repeal portions or delay their implementation.

“In an ideal world, we would love to roll it all back,” Kara Corches, president and CEO of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry, said in a recent webinar. “But part of the legislative process, or the sausage making process as we say sometimes, you don’t always get, in the end, what you started with.”

Ron Berry, lobbyist for one of Proposition A’s biggest backers, Missouri Jobs with Justice Voter Action, said during Wednesday’s hearing that the proposals to exempt businesses with fewer than 50 employees would cover 96% of all private businesses.

Responding to a question about the difficulty employers will have covering the additional cost, Berry said labor isn’t the only thing driving up prices.

“Whether it’s wages or it’s the cost of energy, all of you know inflation is higher, and we’re all having to tighten our belts,” Berry said.

Buddy Lahl, CEO of the Missouri Restaurant Association, told the committee that his members want the exemption threshold raised to 100 employees as well as implementing the $10 million revenue floor.

He also said the sick leave provisions should not allow hours to be carried over from one year to the other.

“It should be a use it or lose it thing,” Lahl said.

Business lobbyists also warned of job losses, or even businesses that won’t survive, if the increased minimum wage stands.

State Rep. Steve Butz, a Democrat from St. Louis, said he didn’t believe that argument, noting that Missouri voters increased the minimum wage twice before without sinking the state’s economy. 

“We’ve had other increases in minimum wage,” Butz said. “We always have been told that it’s going to kill jobs and jobs continue to grow in the state.”

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Missouri House speaker says ‘bounty hunter’ immigration bill has little chance of passing

by Jason Hancock, Missouri Independent
January 30, 2025

There is no appetite among House Republicans for a bill that would put a bounty on undocumented immigrants, Speaker Jon Patterson told reporters Thursday. 

The legislation, which was debated Tuesday in a Missouri Senate committee, would award a $1,000 bounty for tips that result in the arrest of a person present in the United States without authorization. The sponsor of the bill also wants to to authorize bounty hunters to track down people identified in tips.

No one in the House has filed a similar bill, and Patterson said it stands little chance of getting any traction in the chamber even if it does clear the Senate. 

“We are committed to making sure that we have legal immigration but that we don’t tolerate illegal immigration,” said Patterson, a Lee’s Summit Republican. “I have not heard any enthusiasm from our members about doing any sort of bounty.  I don’t think that’s something that you’re going to see on this side.”

Missouri bill putting a bounty on undocumented immigrants faces fierce resistance

Patterson said the issue is being handled by the federal government, noting that President Donald Trump recently signed legislation that requires the U.S. Department of Homeland Security to detain certain non-U.S. nationals who have been arrested for burglary, theft, larceny or shoplifting.

It also authorizes states to sue the federal government for “decisions or alleged failures related to immigration enforcement.”

Gov. Mike Kehoe signed executive orders on his first day in office earlier this month designed to prepare Missouri to assist the federal government in immigration enforcement. 

“A lot of it’s being addressed at the federal level,” Patterson said. 

State Rep. Bridget Walsh Moore, a St. Louis Democrat, called the Senate bill authorizing bounty hunters “fear mongering” and “a very bold step towards fascism.”

“Any talk of rounding up and getting your papers,” she said, “especially during the same week as Holocaust Remembrance Day, is incredibly disrespectful, and honestly, should terrify anyone who calls himself a patriot.”

Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: [email protected].

Open enrollment bill gets public hearing after winning praise from Missouri governor

by Annelise Hanshaw, Missouri Independent
January 29, 2025

A Republican lawmaker from Sedalia has once again begun his push to allow some students to enroll in schools outside the district where they live.

For the fifth year in a row on Wednesday, the House Elementary and Secondary Education Committee debated an open enrollment bill sponsored by state Rep. Brad Pollitt. 

As he introduced the legislation, Pollitt called it the “only school-choice bill that allows students to make a choice and stay in the public school system.”

In the previous four years that Pollitt filed the bill, state lawmakers have prioritized programs allowing families to use state funds for homeschooling and to attend private schools. The state’s K-12 tax credit program, dubbed MOScholars, passed in 2021, and it was expanded last year in a sweeping education package.

Pollitt’s bill has cleared committee and made it out of the House four times. But it has never been debated by the Senate.

He addressed his bill’s four-year purgatory in Wednesday’s committee hearing, saying good legislation doesn’t completely please anyone.

“All four years I’ve passed this bill, neither side was happy. It didn’t go far enough or it went too far,” he said. “Sometimes Missouri does a disservice by looking for perfection and bypassing what is better.”

Pollitt’s legislation has evolved through the years of deliberation. The current version has a cap of 3% on the portion of students allowed to leave a district annually.

He also added language suggested by the Missouri High School Activities Association, which oversees competitive athletics in Missouri schools, that would restrict students who transfer into a new district from competing in sports for one year.

The bill does not require school districts to accept students living outside the area but, instead, has an opt-in structure. Receiving districts would get state funding for the students coming in, but local funds would remain with the district of residence.

Some testified Wednesday that they are concerned the legislation would become mandatory for school districts in the future.

“Our worry is in the future. A lot of (laws) tend to start as voluntary and become mandatory,” said Tammy Henderson, who represents the North Kansas City School District. “We are concerned about losing some of the local control.”

Steve Carroll, a former lawmaker who now lobbies for school districts, cited his experience in the Missouri House in critiquing the bill.

“If this bill passes, within two or three legislative sessions, there is going to be a bill that is going to mandate this,” he said. “Mark my word.” 

A majority of public comments were against the bill, and 220 school districts sent in a letter opposed to the legislation.

Gov. Mike Kehoe begins his State of the State address Tuesday afternoon in the House chamber (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).

However, Pollitt’s proposal is not without its supporters — including Gov. Mike Kehoe, who included the bill in his State of the State speech Tuesday.

“To expand school choice, I urge the General Assembly to pass voluntary open enrollment in public schools,” he said.

Jordan Zachary, representing a national education nonprofit started by Jeb Bush called ExcelinEd, said Missouri’s neighbors already have open enrollment.

“We believe open enrollment to be one of those student-centered policies,”’ he said. “We do believe in giving students an opportunity to attend a school that best fits their needs.”

The bill would not require school districts to add accommodations for incoming students, and some worry the program would exclude students in special education.

Pollitt said he would work with Rep. Matthew Overcast, a Republican from Ava who serves on the education committee, to revise the bill to help students requiring accommodations. Overcast is an attorney with experience assisting students in special education.

The updated version would be presented to the committee before a vote.

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House speaker fight, battles over abortion rights and taxes loom as Missouri lawmakers return

by Rudi Keller, Missouri Independent
January 8, 2025

Republican factional fights are nothing new in the Missouri General Assembly. 

But what is new this year is the venue — the House of Representatives, where a sophomore lawmaker accusing his colleagues of corrupt politics seeks to upset the usually routine election of a speaker.

State Rep. Justin Sparks of Wildwood admits history is against him in his attempt to prevent state Rep. Jon Patterson of Lee’s Summit from becoming speaker. Patterson, who was majority leader in the previous General Assembly, was designated as the GOP candidate for speaker months ago.

In videos posted online and in an interview with The Independent, Sparks accused Patterson and the GOP House leadership of demanding large campaign contributions in exchange for plum committee slots.

“The uncomfortable truth is, power is for sale. In Jefferson City,” Sparks said in the first video of his speaker’s bid. “If you want to be a chairman of a powerful committee, you got to pay.”

If elected speaker, he said, he wants to change House rules so committee chairs are elected by committee members.

Patterson did not respond to a request for an interview.

No speaker nominee has been denied election since 1996, when 11 Democrats voted present and four backed the Republican floor leader.

“It’s certainly a long shot by all standards, but it had to happen, and that’s why I was convinced that I had to do it,” Sparks said in an interview with The Independent.

With 111 Republicans, Sparks will need 29 other party members to join him to prevent Patterson from receiving the 82 votes needed to make a majority. 

Sparks would not say how many members have committed votes to him. 

To actually win, Sparks, a leader of the far-right Freedom Caucus, would need the 52 Democrats to abandon their party leader, state Rep. Ashley Aune of Kansas City, to create a coalition majority.

Sparks has not asked for Democratic votes, Aune said.

“As far as I can tell,” she said, “it’s a political suicide mission.” 

The action begins at noon Wednesday when Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft brings the gavel down to open the House session. This year’s session concludes on May 16.

As of Tuesday, lawmakers had prefiled more than 1,250 bills, 725 in the House and 539 in the state Senate. House members have also offered up 44 proposals to change the Missouri Constitution, while the Senate has 50 ready for opening day.

The only bills lawmakers must pass are appropriations to fund state government. 

Issues expected to receive extensive debate include:

Proposals to alter or repeal the provisions of Amendment 3, which protects abortion rights.Constitutional amendments to make it more difficult to pass measures by initiative petition.Bills to cut or eliminate the income tax.Measures that address crime and police, including a proposal backed by Gov.-elect Mike Kehoe to put the state back in control of the St. Louis Metropolitan Police Department.

Patterson, if he survives the challenge from Sparks, will set the House agenda in a speech prepared for delivery on opening day. 

In the Senate, incoming President Pro Tem Cindy O’Laughlin has said she wants direct elections of appeals court judges and to make the director of the Department of Transportation an appointee of the governor instead of the state Highways and Transportation Commission.

How many bills will reach Kehoe’s desk will depend on how well the GOP supermajority works together. Last year, out of more than 2,300 non-budget bills and 170 proposed constitutional amendments, only 28 were passed — making 2024 the least productive legislative session in recent history

The low numbers, despite bipartisan support for some major bills and intense grassroots pressure for partisan GOP proposals, was due to factional warfare in the Senate, which had upset regular business for several years.

With 10 newly elected senators, replacing some of the most vocal critics of the leadership, O’Laughlin said she is “optimistic” the chamber can function without rancor.

“We have an opportunity to work together, set aside past conflicts, and focus on addressing the needs of Missourians,” O’Laughlin said. “I’m committed to fostering collaboration and ensuring that we deliver meaningful results for the people of this state.”

The Democratic floor leader, state Sen. Doug Beck of Affton, said a Senate free of factional fights would be good if the focus is on broadly supported proposals such as tax credits for child care and better teacher pay. 

“But if that leadership, the Senate leadership, decides instead to focus on partisan politics and overturning the will of the voters, then the Senate’s reputation for dysfunction may save it from itself,” Beck said.

Abortion and initiatives

Supporters of Amendment 3 celebrate on Sept. 10 on the steps of the Missouri Capitol after the state Supreme Court ruled the abortion-rights measure could remain on the ballot (Anna Spoerre/Missouri Independent).

Republicans know key party constituencies are demanding action to limit or repeal Amendment 3, which restored abortion rights in Missouri. But there is no consensus on what that will look like.

Although Amendment 3 took effect Dec. 5, no clinic is offering abortion services because of a December court decision that left licensing laws in place. The dozens of abortion-related bills filed by Republicans range from proposals to re-impose Missouri’s abortion ban with another statewide vote as well as smaller measures attempting to set parameters around Amendment 3, including by defining fetal viability.

“In the district I represent, Amendment 3 is very problematic,” said State Rep. Dane Diehl, a Butler Republican.

Diehl and other Republicans interviewed said they will go as far as possible to limit abortions. But with the strong presumption included in the Constitution that such laws are off-limits, the options are few.

“How can we work around the edges on the abortion issue is definitely going to be there,” state Rep. Bill Owen of Springfield said.

The most conservative members will be pushing for a full repeal, but Democrats warn that could backfire at the polls.

“They’re not content with just being re-elected into the supermajority,” Aune said. “They want to also control every aspect of our lives, and this is just one additional way they’re going to do it.”

Amendment 3 received 51.6% of the vote and every Republican running statewide received at least 55% of the vote. That means there are many thousands of Republican voters who also supported Amendment 3, Beck said.

“It only passed because of support from Republican voters who believe their elected officials respect the outcome of the election,” he said.

Republicans acknowledged that a full repeal is unlikely. And a ballot measure putting tighter limits on when a woman can seek an abortion could generate opposition from the right for not going far enough.

O’Laughlin said she’s uncertain what path the Senate should pursue.

“We owe it to voters to address this issue in a way that reflects the values of our state,” she said. “Whether that means pursuing a full repeal or making adjustments—such as including exceptions for certain cases—I’m committed to ensuring the laws governing this issue are both transparent and reflective of what Missourians truly want.”

Aune said she’s cautiously optimistic about the chances for preserving all of Amendment 3.

“My concern would be higher if it seemed that these folks had any clear plan to attack this issue,” she said.

Last year, a proposal to make constitutional amendments proposed by initiative harder to pass failed in the Senate because of factional fighting among Republicans. A priority for years, it is certain to be pushed again.

“I strongly believe we need to protect Missouri’s constitution from being influenced by outside interests,” O’Laughlin said.

A better idea, Beck said, would be to limit the ability of lawmakers to enact changes to statutory proposals put on the ballot by initiative. There are already efforts underway to rollback portions of the minimum wage increase law passed in November as Proposition A.

“I would really love to see something put forward that says, hey, you know, the voters passed this and you can’t touch anything for five to 10 years, or something like that,” Beck said.

Budget and taxes

Members of the House Budget Committee work in 2023 on spending bills that will fund state government operations in the coming year (Rudi Keller/Missouri Independent).

The consensus revenue estimate issued last month projects that during the current fiscal year, tax receipts will decline $70 million for the first time in living memory that has happened in a growing economy.

But that decline is just about one-half of 1% from record revenue in fiscal 2024 and, even with the decline, revenues will be more than $13.3 billion, about $200 million more than anticipated a year ago.

And when Kehoe delivers his first budget proposal Jan. 28, he will be able to tap the largest surplus ever enjoyed by an incoming governor. The state held $5.7 billion in the general revenue and other funds on Dec. 31, with another $2.6 billion stashed but unspent on major projects like expanding Interstate 70 or renovating the Capitol Building.

Spending from all funds should decline because, through December, the state has spent about half of the federal money received through the American Rescue Plan Act. But flat general revenue has lawmakers talking about the potential for cuts or limitations on earmarked funds.

“We’ve got less money coming in from the federal government,” Aune said. “We have revenues that are lower than we wish they were, and so that is going to mean that we’re gonna have to tighten our belts.”

Owen said the sluggish revenue will help focus attention on earmarks. Some items make it into the budget one year and they stay there because no one takes a close look, he said.

“There are some good things, but I mean, they need to be one time things,” Owen said.

Kehoe has promised to try to eliminate the state income tax, which provided 65% of state revenue in the fiscal year that ended June 30. The top rate now is 4.7%, which could drop next year if revenue growth returns.

Several lawmakers have proposed a 4% flat tax, followed by step-down reductions. 

Discussions of a tax cut when revenues are falling and the budget is being cut doesn’t make sense, Beck said.

“I hear how these budgets are gonna get tough, and then they’re having conversations on the other side about getting rid of the income tax,” he said. “I don’t understand how this all works. Maybe we’re rooted more into running for the next election than we are to actually run the state of Missouri.”

O’Laughlin priorities

Sen. Cindy O’Laughlin, R-Shelbina, motions to adjourn the Missouri Senate in May 2024 amid bitter personal fighting (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).

Since 1940, the Nonpartisan Court Plan has governed the selection of appellate and some trial-level judges. A panel made up of attorneys elected by other lawyers and residents appointed by the governor screen candidates and recommend three names for appointment by the governor.

Once appointed, the judge is put on the next general election ballot for a vote on whether they should be retained. During their tenure on the bench, judges are subject to regular retention votes, with members of the Missouri Supreme Court on the ballot every 12 years.

O’Laughlin is pushing to replace that process with direct election of all judges. For the courts of appeal and the Supreme Court, the panel would remain in place to recommend three candidates for the ballot, but others could run outside that process.

In social media posts, she said voters know very little about the judges when they vote on retention. And she is upset that several recent decisions did not go the way she wanted, including a last-gasp attempt to keep abortion rights off the November ballot.

“Judicial impartiality is critical to maintaining public trust in our courts,” O’Laughlin said in an email to The Independent. “I believe that electing judges can increase accountability by giving the public a direct voice.”

Beck, however, said he will defend the system in debate.

“I hate to bring in more and more politics into these things, because a lot of times, I don’t think you get the best person in that case,” he said.

O’Laughlin also wants to eliminate the Highways and Transportation Commission, which controls spending on highways and selects the director of the Department of Transportation. The commission has shown its independence by pursuing a lawsuit over how much it can spend on employee salaries and drew ire from O’Laughlin when it picked Ed Hassinger, a 40-year veteran of the department, as the new director.

“For far too long, the department has operated in isolation, shielded from public accountability by unelected commissioners and guaranteed revenue streams,” O’Laughlin wrote in a social media post. 

Kehoe, a former member of the commission, opposes the move, saying putting selection of the head of the Department of Transportation into the hands of the governor injects politics into road construction decisions and “could be a disaster,” the St. Louis Post-Dispatch reported. 

O’Laughlin said she is pushing ahead with her proposal.

“While I understand Gov.-elect Kehoe’s concerns, I believe this proposal remains a priority because of its potential to improve transparency and oversight,” she said.

Beck said he’s willing to consider measures to make the department more accountable, but sees the same danger of politics if lawmakers set the department’s budget.

“If you move it under the control of the governor or the legislature,” Beck said, “it’s going to become very, very partisan.”

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Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: [email protected].

Missouri education package establishes long-time priorities, stomping smaller bills

by Annelise Hanshaw, Missouri Independent
June 3, 2024

During Missouri’s 2024 legislative session, 338 bills addressing education were filed: a mix of proposals to change curriculum, increase funding, boost oversight and others.

The House appeared poised to expedite more K-12 legislation by forming a Special Committee on Education Reform in addition to its usual Elementary and Secondary Education Committee.

Chair of the existing education committee Rep. Brad Pollitt, a Republican from Sedalia, told The Independent that the beginning of session was “hot and heavy” for his bill dubbed open enrollment.

The bill, which sought to allow students to enroll in neighboring school districts that opt in to the program, passed the House for the fourth year in a row.

But soon, it was “radio silence,” as he describes it, for his bill.

Pollitt’s bill, like many others, died behind closed doors as lawmakers negotiated what would become just two education bills signed into law this year.

The vehicle

One of the themes among the few hundred bills filed on education was the expansion of tax-credit scholarships for private schools, a program called MOScholars in Missouri.

MOScholars allows taxpayers to donate up to half of their tax burden to scholarship-distributing nonprofits and get a refund come tax time. The nonprofits, who report to the State Treasurer’s Office, give the money to private schools they partner with. Currently, the program is only in the state’s most populated areas.

Sen. Andrew Koenig, a Republican from Manchester, proposed to open MOScholars statewide and allow wealthier families to qualify for the scholarships. He also sought to raise the cap on tax credits for the program.

When his bill made it to the Senate floor, Democrats held a lengthy filibuster, and negotiations began. The closed-door deal brought the originally 12-page bill to over 150 pages.

Missouri State Sen. Lauren Arthur, D-Kansas City, and Sen. Doug Beck, D-Affton, kick off a filibuster of a bill that would expand the state’s K-12 tax-credit scholarships (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).

Sen. Lauren Arthur, a Kansas City Democrat, was a key negotiator for Senate Democrats. She told The Independent that large education changes in Missouri seem to require an omnibus bill, and her job was about balancing policies her caucus favored with changes others demanded.

“I think as a result of this law, what our schools are capable of and the support we are giving our teachers will hopefully be better as a result of some of the changes we’ve made,” she said.

Her priority was changing the formula that funds public schools. A provision added in negotiations will change a multiplier in the formula to slowly switch from funding based on just attendance to splitting between attendance and enrollment. A study commissioned by the state’s education department last year recommended an enrollment-based funding model.

The change to 50% attendance and 50% enrollment is estimated to bring an additional $47 million annually to public education, according to the fiscal note.

“​​I am sure there were great bills that tackled smaller problems,” Arthur said. “But in terms of really trying to address some of the major issues, these were the right provisions to do that.”

Priorities

Pollitt was part of the negotiations, too. Although he has spent years refining his open-enrollment legislation, he knew it wouldn’t make it onto Koenig’s bill. He said his bill “wasn’t a priority on either side of the aisle.”

“The side of the aisle that I’m on wanted educational choice that was more extensive than open enrollment, and the other side of the aisle didn’t want any school choice necessarily,” he said.

He said Senate Democrats could stomach the expansion of MOScholars, since it was already available in Democratic areas, but wouldn’t sit down for a new program in their areas like he was proposing. Arthur confirmed this to be true, adding that the new law’s expansion of charter schools into Boone County was unfavorable but was a long-time priority for Senate President Pro Tem Caleb Rowden — a Republican from Columbia who has announced his retirement from state politics.

When the House was ready to debate Koenig’s bill on the floor (now loaded with the caucuses’ priorities), movement on other K-12 education bills stopped. Some of the bills didn’t move because they were completely incorporated into the larger education package, but others lacked support.

​​“In order to move that big bill, there was a lot of political capital spent on that,” Sen. Jill Carter, a Granby Republican, told The Independent.

She attempted to place her educational priority onto the bill after Senate leaders had completed negotiations and distributed the thick stacks of the legislation.

Her bill sought to remove school accreditation authority from the state’s education department by allowing school districts to use nationally recognized accrediting agencies instead. It also proposed replacing the Missouri Assessment Program, or MAP test, with a summative assessment “that meets federal requirements.”

The legislation received bipartisan support in committee and passed unanimously, but the committee’s vote was never reported on the Senate floor — a step required to come up for debate.

When she attempted to add it as an amendment to Koenig’s bill post-negotiations, she was advised against unbalancing the education package.

Sen. Curtis Trent, a Springfield Republican, told her the bill was “highly negotiated.” He had filed a bill that also sought to change the way school accreditation is done in Missouri, though his approach focused on performance and growth scores. His proposal would focus more on standardized testing, whereas Carter’s had a decentralized approach.

“This is a highly crafted, highly balanced, fine-tuned piece of legislation,” Trent said on the Senate floor. “Inserting it like this in the 11th hour… risks derailing this very important piece of legislation in a way that I don’t believe is fair to the underlying bill sponsor and everyone involved in the process.”

He indicated that he had an amendment to Carter’s legislation, and she withdrew her bill.

Arthur said she didn’t see enough support behind Carter’s bill, so it wasn’t likely to pass.

Both Carter and Pollitt are planning to refile their legislation.

Arthur, who has termed out of the Senate, said she recommends watching how new laws affect education before passing more large changes.

“(Koenig’s bill) is a major education omnibus bill, and it contains a lot of provisions that can shape and reshape education in Missouri,” she said. “I would recommend that the legislature let those things get fully implemented and see how they’re working before moving forward with anything else as substantial.”

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Legislative interns help Missouri school districts claim over $1 million in federal funds

by Annelise Hanshaw, Missouri Independent
May 21, 2024

In March, the phone in state Rep. Deb Lavender’s office in Jefferson City started ringing constantly, but the calls weren’t for her.

They were for her interns, Santino Bono and Alanna Nguyen.

The interns, along with Dylan Powers Cody, who was interning for state Rep. Peter Merideth, had spent months cross-checking spreadsheets to pinpoint school districts who had not yet claimed pandemic-era federal funds for homeless students.

Those federal dollars are part of the American Rescue Plan and must be budgeted by September. A large part of the interns’ project was calling districts to notify them that they had money that could expire if they didn’t act quickly.

State Rep. Deb Lavendar, D-St. Louis, speaks about her work on the state budget in a press conference May 10 (Annelise Hanshaw/Missouri Independent).

The office got so many calls back from schools about the interns’ project that Lavender’s legislative assistant needed to create a voicemail folder just for them.

So far, they helped districts claim $1.15 million in funds in four months that can be used for a range of services for homeless students — from buying washers and dryers to temporary hotel stays and transit cards.

“We had multiple school districts call back and say, ‘We have twenty grand in the bank that we can use to help homeless students? No one really told us,’” Bono said in an interview with The Independent.

Most of the districts the interns reached had no idea they had funding available, Nguyen said.

“Then, they wanted more information on it,” she said. “Once they got the information on it, they were able to kind of kickstart it up and get things moving along.”

Bono expected the internship might be more menial, including the “intern trope of having to get coffee for people,” he said.

“To know that I could have potentially a much bigger impact on actual students, as a student myself, I’m really proud of that,” Bono said.

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Missouri received an infusion of $9.6 million in the American Rescue Plan Act of 2021 for students experiencing homelessness, and schools were able to start using it in 2022.

But many of those schools had never received federal dollars to support homeless students before.

Tera Bock, director of homeless education for Missouri’s Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, said the agency alerted school districts to the funding but that several challenges emerged.

“It is not funding that most districts are used to having, so they usually are supporting their students experiencing homelessness without any funding specific to that,” she said. “The extra funding creates the need for a shift in mindset as far as what they provide for those students.”

School districts have until the end of September to budget the remaining $6.1 million or lose out on it. 

Most schools received a few thousands dollars in federal aid for homeless students. The largest allocation, based on its homeless student population, went to St. Louis City which received $850,000.

The funding is best used for one-time costs, Bock said, like a vehicle to transport students with housing insecurity or to meet emergency needs.

“The district should really consider how they can use it in a way that is not going to create a financial burden in the future whenever they don’t have the funds anymore,” Bock said.

She said rural districts with a smaller population of students experiencing homelessness are the most likely to struggle to spend the money.

Bock has been in her role for a couple months, and the position was vacant briefly.

Part of her job is to contact each district’s homeless liaison, a position every district is federally required to have. But sometimes, the liaisons have multiple positions in schools, and Bock doesn’t hear back from them.

“Especially in the districts where they don’t typically see a large population of homeless students, they get multiple roles, and it just gets lost in the shuffle,” she said.

“We don’t have very many (districts) here in Missouri where that person is completely designated as their entire job for the most part,” she said. “They are wearing lots of different hats.”

Bock said she sends “lots of communication,” so “they should be aware” of the funds but wonders if liaisons are properly connected to district administration to get the money budgeted.

With more communication and activities planned, Bock is not concerned about being able to get more money claimed by districts.

“This is definitely a big piece of what I’m working on right now,” she said. “And our sights are set on Sept. 30.” 

Bock said the interns were “super helpful” in the process.

“There has been good communication whenever they need some backup information to support questions that are coming up,” she said. “So they’ve been great to work with.”

The interns are hopeful schools will continue allocating the funds.

“There’s still a lot to be done by September and session’s ending,” Bono said. “I’m going off to law school. I can’t keep calling school districts. So we’re just hoping that more awareness can be given to school districts to kind of get them to keep working towards this.”

Lavender said the funds might look modest in terms of the state’s overall budget but the impact on students is large. In Webster Groves, she said, the schools “got another $8,000 that I don’t think they knew was sitting there.”

Lavender’s legislative assistant Dustin Bax chimed in: “And $8,000 of backpacks, non-perishable foods, fuel cards — that goes a long way.”

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Missouri Independent is part of States Newsroom, a nonprofit news network supported by grants and a coalition of donors as a 501c(3) public charity. Missouri Independent maintains editorial independence. Contact Editor Jason Hancock for questions: [email protected]. Follow Missouri Independent on Facebook and Twitter.

House sends bill to governor renewing taxes critical to funding Missouri Medicaid

by Rudi Keller, Missouri Independent
May 15, 2024

A set of medical provider taxes that fund a large portion of Missouri’s Medicaid program won quick approval Wednesday in the House, two weeks after it took 41 hours for the bill to pass in the state Senate.

The controversies that stalled the bill in the Senate received scant attention during Wednesday’s debate, except for being cited as an example of what to avoid in the future. The bill taxes hospitals, pharmacies, nursing homes and ambulance services to raise about $1.3 billion for Medicaid services and leverage nearly $3 billion in federal matching funds for the $17 billion program.

“This shouldn’t be used as a hostage in a terrorist negotiation,” said House Minority Leader Crystal Quade, a Springfield Democrat.

The renewal bill extends the taxes for five years, one of the longest sunsets since the tax was first enacted in 1991. Since then, the levies have been renewed 17 times, most recently for three years in 2021 during a special session.

For the second time, renewal of the taxes became enmeshed in the debates over abortion and whether Planned Parenthood can receive reimbursements for services covered by Medicaid. Members of the Missouri Freedom Caucus tried, and failed, to delay action on the provider taxes until a bill targeting Planned Parenthood was signed by Gov. Mike Parson and a proposal making it harder to pass a constitutional amendment is finished and set for a vote later this year.

Parson did sign the Planned Parenthood bill, but almost a week after the filibuster ended. And the record set by the Freedom Caucus, by holding the Senate floor for 41 hours, has been surpassed by Democrats this week as they block a vote on the constitutional majority changes.

As he asked for support, House Budget Committee Chairman Cody Smith, a Carthage Republican, said the bill’s importance to financing Medicaid was the only issue to concern members.

The taxes, he said, “have become an integral part” of the Medicaid program and renewal “is very critical” to balancing the $51.7 billion budget passed last week 

The debate and 136-16 vote took about five minutes. Quade said there was no controversy in the House on the bill. 

“Most of us…  absolutely, desperately want this passed today,” she said.

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