The House Budget Committee Chair introduced substitute budget bills that will be the starting point for budget debate when the legislature returns from its spring break. Detailed tracking sheets can be viewed here. Some notable changes from the Governors recommendations include:
Elementary & Secondary Education (HB 2):
- Fully funds the foundation formula for the first time in recent history by adding nearly $45 million. Full funding would trigger a provision that would allow DESE funding for pre-K programs.
- Restores $36 million for school transportation that had been cut in the Governor’s recommendation
Higher Education (HB 3):
- Reduced the cut to four year universities from the 9% recommended by the Governor to 6.58% except for the University of Missouri system.
- The University of Missouri system did see an addition of $8.5 million for various health care education initiatives that were not recommended by the Governor.
Mental Health (HB 10):
- $6.9 million was added to pay for growth in enrollees in mental health services anticipated as a result of increased asset limits.
- Restores $500,000 for children’s trauma treatment and $500,000 for case management.
- Restores 1.5 percent of the Governor’s recommended 3 percent decrease in provider rates
Health & Senior Services (HB 10):
- Adds $6.5 million for the Safe-Care program called for in last year’s HB 1877
- Reversed the Governor’s recommended eligibility change for Home & Community-Based Services. The current 21-point eligibility level was maintained by eliminating the circuit breaker property tax credit for low-income seniors and Missourians with disabilities who rent their homes, as described previously.
- The substitute did not change te 60% Consumer Directed Services cost limit recommended by the Governor for skilled nursing services.
Social Services (HB 11):
- Restores the current 21 point eligibility level for skilled nursing services using funding from the circuit breaker elimination via the newly created senior services protection fund, and reverses the Governor’s recommended use of tobacco settlement fund proceeds to maintain the eligibility level
- Restores 1.5 percent of the Governor’s recommended 3 percent decrease in provider rates
- The substitute pays for many of these increases through reductions in the Missouri Rx program and circuit breaker property tax credit, as well as decreased projected pharmacy costs and pushing new Medicaid decision items off until next session when a supplemental budget could pay for any costs not funded in the regular budget bills.
- Uses tobacco settlement funds to pay for the transition to managed care statewide.
The budget committee will meet on Tuesday, March 28th to amend the substitute budget bills. Any proposed amendments must be submitted to the Chair by 6 p.m. on Monday, March 27th.
