Due mostly to unexpected Medicaid expenses, the Missouri Senate is adding an extra $241 million to the state budget that runs through the end of June.
House Bill 14 contains $10.6 million more to replace Missouri Department of Transportation vehicles and make repairs to weigh stations along major highways. There’s also an extra $5 million for construction and repairs to publicly owned airports. MoDOT officials didn’t immediately return requests seeking details on how many vehicles and which airports.
The bill also puts $80,000 to help implement Missouri's new voter ID law. Secretary of State Jay Ashcroft has requested $1.4 million for the new law for the next fiscal year, which begins July 1.
Republican Sen. Dan Brown of Rolla sponsored the bill. He said Thursday that a last-minute adjustment for K-12 schools brought the cost down, as DESE's early childhood special education program was originally slated for a $7.3 million increase, but actually can make do with less.
"The Department of Elementary and Secondary Education came forward and said there's $838,224 dollars that they did not need," he said. "It's always nice when you can save a little bit of money."
The bill passed unanimously, 33-0, and now goes back to the House before it can go to Gov. Eric Greitens, for him to sign or reject.
Follow Marshall Griffin on Twitter: @MarshallGReport
Copyright 2021 St. Louis Public Radio. To see more, visit St. Louis Public Radio. 9(MDA3OTgyNDI4MDEzMTM0MjQzMTZlNDI0Mg004))
