Governor Parson Calls Special Session on Supplemental Budget

On Wednesday, Governor Parson called for a special session, asking the General Assembly to enact legislation to spend and appropriate additional federal funding made available to Missouri in response to COVID-19. The session will begin on November 5. The governor noted that since the state passed the FY 2021 budget in May, additional federal funding has been made available to the state through the Coronavirus Aid, Relief, and Economic Security (CARES) Act. A supplemental budget is a way for the state to appropriate this funding, which is intended to provide additional resources to state and local governments to respond to COVID-19.

According to the State Auditor's website, Missouri has been given nearly $3 billion in federal CARES Act funding. The state has allocated out about $1.7 billion of the money. The federal aid includes funding for homeless prevention grants, school meals, job training grants and child support payments among others. The governor said he would also be willing to expand the call to include a provision on COVID-19 liability if asked by the General Assembly.