MO’s Budget Close to the Finish Line 

May 2, 2024 | Blog by Christina Ingoglia

For those of you keeping up with what’s going on during the legislative session, you likely know the last day for our legislature to pass bills into law is May 17th. However, the last day the legislature can pass the State Budget (spelled out through a series of bills) is May 10th. 

The MO budget is produced through a yearlong process, but what remains for FY 25 is: 

• Senate floor debate of the Senate appropriations proposed budget (which was in response to the House proposed budget)—this week! 
• Passage of the bills out of the Senate to return to the House—hopefully, this week. 
• Likely, the formation of a Conference Committee that will have members from the House and Senate who will negotiate over their different budget versions and places where they proposals differ—which includes funding Medicaid providers like Emmaus. 
• Once the Conference Committee concludes, the House will/should pass the budget, as amended no later than May 10th—next week!  
• It’s possible the Legislature does not meet their State Constitutional deadline to pass the budget, but we’re going to hope this is not the case.  
• After the Legislature is done, the Governor must sign the budget bills. This is the only time the MO Governor has the ability to line-item veto anything he disagrees with. 

Along the way, including these last few weeks of Session and making it through the Governor’s signature, there will be points to lend your voice. To keep updated on how you can help, please sign up for our advocacy alerts at EmmausHomes.org/advocacy.  

For some recent news about the State Budget, check out these links: 

• https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/23/match-rules-limit-spending-of-missouris-federal-infrastructure-funds-as-deadlines-loom/ 
• https://missouriindependent.com/2024/04/25/with-time-running-short-missouri-senate-set-to-debate-50-billion-state-budget-next-week/  

• The budget must be passed by the entire Senate.
• The House of Representatives need to approve the changes made by the Senate, or the House and Senate must reconcile their differences in conference committee.
• The Governor must approve the budget by June 30th. The State Budget bills are the only bills in which the Missouri Governor has the power of the line-item veto.