Mo. House passes $23B budget for next fiscal year

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Missouri House has approved a $23 billion state budget for the next fiscal year.

The vote Wednesday sends the budget to the Senate, where it could face opposition from some Republicans looking to make deeper cuts.

The House plan cuts basic higher education funding by about 7 percent in the fiscal year that starts July 1. Public schools would get $3 billion in basic aid - the same amount they got this year but about $180 million less than prescribed by a state formula.

Some Democrats accused Republicans of failing to adequately fund education and argued the budget should have included ways to increase revenue, such as collection of an Internet sales tax.

Majority Leader Tim Jones says changing laws about teacher tenure and charter schools would improve student performance more than increased funding.

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Budget is HB1-13

Online:

Legislature: http://moga.mo.gov