Tagged: missouri house of representatives

After declining to expand Medicaid coverage this year, the Missouri House has passed a bill that would create a committee to study the issue next year.

The House passed the measure 133-27 yesterday. It would create a joint committee of House and Senate members to look at ways to "transform" the state's Medicaid program. The committee would begin at the end of the current session until the 2015 session's start in January.

The Missouri House Budget Committee has endorsed a proposed $1.2 billion state bonding proposal that could pay for projects on college campuses, state parks and state facilities.

The budget panel endorsed the revised bonding proposal Thursday after the full House voted to send the measure back to committee for some adjustments.

Missouri’s budget for the next fiscal year has been passed by the State House.

While Medicaid expansion has dominated most of the debate, spending hikes were approved in other areas.  There’s an extra $65 million for K-12 schools, although the increase still falls short of fully funding the state’s public school formula.  Republican Mike Lair of Livingston County chairs the Appropriations committee on Education.

Missouri lawmakers could serve longer in the House or Senate but not spend more overall time in the state Legislature under a term limits proposal that has gained first-round approval.

The Missouri House voted Wednesday and today to approve a house bill that allows rural schools to opt out of paying prevailing wage for public construction projects.

House Republicans and Democrats held opposite attitudes on the bill, but they bill got secondary approval and now is moving to the Senate.

Prevailing wage is a wage requirement meant to protect local construction industries when public construction projects are conducted.