Parson signs off on $1.2B in added spending

Missouri Gov. Mike Parson announced Friday he has signed the more than $1.2 billion supplemental budget state lawmakers approved in special legislative session.

Federal funds make up more than $1.17 billion of the almost $1.28 billion supplemental budget — with much of the supplemental budget for continued response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Parson announced in October the special session on a supplemental budget — the second special session of the year, after the first on bills related to police and prosecutors’ abilities to fight violent crime.

The state has until Dec. 30 to spend its federal dollars received under the Coronavirus Aid, Relief and Economic Security Act.

The supplemental budget includes funding for school meals, emergency grants to prevent homelessness, job training grants and child support payments — as well as $2 million to support a pre-trial witness protection fund that was created during the first special session on crime.

“I want to thank Senator Dan Hegeman and Representative Cody Smith for their leadership as well as all of our legislators for their work to get this done during special session,” Parson said. “COVID-19 has had an overwhelming impact on our state, but we are already making great progress. This additional funding will be critical as we continue to respond, recover, and move Missouri forward.”