Missouri Budget

The deadline for the Missouri General Assembly to approve its budget is quickly approaching. KCUR's Brian Ellison joined Up To Date to break down the latest on the budget and other last-minute agenda items for the 2026 legislative session.

The Senate version of the operating budget, totaling nearly $49 billion, now heads back to the House. However, the budget still does not fully fund the state’s K-12 schools.

The House this session passed a major overhaul of how the state funds higher education institutions. Critics say it created winners and losers among the state's universities.

The budget bills now go to the Missouri Senate, where they are likely to undergo many changes. The House must also consider several other budget bills, including funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.

Missouri House Budget Committee Chair Dirk Deaton said the amendments would be fiscally "irresponsible and a mistake." Democratic lawmakers warned that proposed cuts could jeopardize a program that puts child care in reach of low-income and foster families.

The biggest tasks left are the state budget, where Gov. Mike Kehoe has proposed a number of spending reductions, and a Republican plan to eliminate the income tax.

Missouri voters earmarked the marijuana tax money for veterans services, public defenders and substance use treatment, but Missouri budget plans would leave tens of millions unavailable.

Gov. Mike Kehoe is proposing to cut funding for transportation from $6.7 million to $1.7 million, an 85% decrease. Missouri is already one of the lowest states for per capita spending on public transit.

Gov. Mike Kehoe cut funding for public transportation last year. In January, he proposed eliminating another $5 million from the public transit budget.

One of the changes made on the Senate side includes removing almost $15 million toward improving the Missouri Capitol. Now the legislation returns to the Missouri House for a vote.

More than 1,000 Missourians traveled to the Capitol to attend Disability Rights Legislative Day. Lawmakers from both chambers have said they will try to restore $80.7 million in cuts proposed by Gov. Mike Kehoe.

The proposed cuts came out of a "core reduction exercise" requested by Gov. Mike Kehoe. Lawmakers from both parties vowed to undo the reductions but warned the governor could still veto any restoration.