Missouri Legislature to Return Next Week to Address Supplemental Budget Bill

The Missouri legislature is expected to return to Jefferson City next week to take up and pass the supplemental budget bill passed several weeks ago by the Missouri House. HB 2014, a budget bill which includes supplemental funding for FY 2020, was passed by the House on March 18 and must now be taken up and passed by the Senate. The Senate is expected to take up the bill first and will likely offer amendments to allow Governor Parson the ability to access new federal funding made available through the COVID-19 relief bills passed by Congress. The House will then have to take up the amended bill for debate and passage. It is unclear how the two bodies will do their work in light of social distancing rules that are currently in place. It is also unclear when the two bodies will return to debate and pass the FY 2021 budget; that work may have to wait until this summer during a special session when it is safer for them to convene.