Supplemental Budget Bills
Sent to Governor
This week, the Senate approved House Bills 14 and 15. Both are supplemental budget bills, which address budget issues that were not passed or were not funded to the level of being sufficient for the whole year. With the governor’s signature, these bills will go into effect immediately.
House Bill 14 is a fairly standard supplemental budget bill – it contains funding for several state programs, with appropriations in the legislation totaling $227 million. House Bill 15, on the other hand, specifically relates to funding for elementary and secondary education.
The passage of HB 15 ensures that K-12 classrooms will be able to receive the same level of foundation funding they received last year. The legislation takes $189.7 million in federal funding available to schools through the Federal Education Jobs Fund and holds it over for the coming year. With work on the budget also beginning on the Senate floor this week, getting this legislation passed was particularly important for our public schools.
Continuing the Linked
Deposit Program
As several of my sponsored bills continue through the Legislative process in the House, I am handling several House bills on the Senate side of the building. This includes House Bill 109, which was approved by a committee this week, to continue the highly successful Linked Deposit Program.
The Missouri Linked Deposit Program is an economic development tool for small business owners and farmers that has been in use since 1986. The program makes low-interest loans available to small businesses and farms throughout the state. Participating bank branches have doubled since the end of 2008 – there are more than 100 lenders with 300 branches participating. The program is set to sunset on Dec. 31, 2015, and the expiration date is causing uncertainty in the lending community. House Bill 109 would remove the sunset on the Linked Deposit Program, allowing the program to continue.
More information on the Missouri Linked Deposit Program is available here: www.treasurer. mo.gov/LinkedDeposit
Have a Happy Easter
I would like to wish everyone in the 20th Senatorial District a very happy Easter. This holiday is a time for reflection, prayer, and celebration. It is easy to get caught up in our everyday tasks, but I hope you will join me in taking this time to reflect on the meaning of the holiday. Easter is also a time of promise and rebirth, and it is my hope that we can work together in these final weeks of the session to pass legislation that will truly make our state a better place.
I extend my best wishes to you this Easter as you celebrate your faith, your family and the season of growth.
If you have any questions or comments about this or any other matter regarding your state government, please feel free to contact me at (573) 751-1503; you are also welcome to e-mail me at jay.wasson@senate.mo.gov.
