A Senate budget panel has approved a funding increase for public universities while voting to block money from going to Planned Parenthood.
The Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday endorsed a budget plan that would provide an additional $56 million in performance funding for universities, an increase of about 6 percent. Gov. Jay Nixon has said schools would freeze tuition next year if they get that much.
A House version of the budget proposed a 2 percent increase to all schools except the University of Missouri, which would not get any increase.
The Senate panel also pared back House cuts to the University of Missouri system administration and eliminated a House cut for the Columbia campus.
The Senate committee agreed with a House provision blocking Planned Parenthood from receiving Medicaid funding.
