Spring break is over for Missouri lawmakers

The second half of the Missouri Legislature’s session is expected to focus on passing a state budget and a routine hospital tax bill that would help to cover a significant share of the state’s Medicaid costs. 

In the House, the Budget Committee will dive into a 50-billion dollar state budget proposal today, including whether to use more than 727-million-dollars in state funding to rebuild and widen portions of Interstate 44. 

About 4.5 billion dollars in federal aid are at stake if the hospital tax bill does not pass. 

Another key bill to pay attention to is whether to make it tougher to pass voter-approved laws through an initiative petition. 

Thus far no bills have passed both chambers.