Missouri Senate

The budget includes a $2.8 billion plan to fully expand Interstate 70 to three lanes in each direction and funding for teacher raises, as well as money for public libraries.

The Senate’s plan to go beyond the $860 million initially proposed to expand Interstate 70 remained in the budget agreed to by a Senate-House conference committee Wednesday night. Other Senate positions that remained were state funding for public libraries and the elimination of anti-DEI language in the budget.

The Senate’s proposed budget is $4.2 billion more than what the House passed weeks ago. Like in the House, most of the debate in the Senate was spent over an amendment that would have inserted language against diversity, equity and inclusion.

St. Louis Mayor Tishaura Jones is calling for residents to help with programs to reduce one of the root causes of crime — poverty.

Senate Appropriations Chair Lincoln Hough said after speaking with departments, businesses and vendors, he recommended removing the anti-diversity, equity and inclusion language. The committee still must pass the budget bills before they can make it to the Senate floor.

The bill now goes to the Missouri Senate, which has already passed its own bill on the same topic. It’s unclear if the Senate will consider the House bill. Senate leadership said Thursday they would prefer the House pass the Senate version.

The bills now move to the House. Meanwhile, legalizing sports betting is stalled in the Senate.

The Missouri Senate heard testimony Wednesday on the bill. Under the legislation, which the House passed in early March, the governor would appoint four members to a board of police commissioners. The mayor of St. Louis would also serve on that board.

Instead of speaking on the billions of dollars within the Missouri budget, House Democrats repeatedly spoke out against language added to each bill that prohibits spending on anything associated with diversity, equity and inclusion. That language is expected to be stripped out in the Senate.

Both bills now go to the Missouri House, where leadership says they are a priority.