Assuming Gov. Jay Nixon approves the budget items lawmakers passed Thursday, the aging Fulton State Hospital soon will be replaced.
Missouri lawmakers approved selling $198 million in bonds to build a more modern facility for the hospital, which is the oldest mental health institution west of the Mississippi River.
During this year's budget discussions, lawmakers considered several different funding options for the project.
Ultimately, what passed in the final bills sent to Nixon was "the governor's original proposal," Senate Appropriations Chairman Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, told colleagues. "It's a 25-year plan, with bonds sold through the Missouri Development Finance Board."
Schaefer said several times this spring he preferred a House proposal to repay the bonds in five years rather than 25, saving taxpayers about $150 million in interest payments.
But, he said during Thursday's debate, "There was a concern about having a $44 million a year bond payment as opposed to a $14 million a year payment."
Sen. David Pearce, R-Warrensburg, said: "If we leave here and that's the only thing we accomplish, I would consider this a great accomplishment.
"This is something great for the clients who are there and for the people who have to work there."
Several of the hospital's buildings have been deemed unsafe for workers and patients.
State Rep. Jeanie Riddle, R-Mokane, has championed the Fulton project for several years and said in a news release: "I am thrilled and thankful to see we are now positioned to build a state-of-the-art hospital that will replace what is currently the most dangerous place to work in the state."
Last month, Nixon and state Mental Health officials announced that the Parsons Brinckerhoff global consulting and design firm was chosen to plan and design the new hospital.
The budget doesn't go into effect until July 1, and Nixon still must sign off on the plan.
Lawmakers also included $6 million in the budget for renovations of the current St. Mary's Health Center complex, after the hospital moves to its new facilities in November and donates the current complex to the state early next year.
Nixon and Lincoln University officials announced in January they want to move LU's nursing program from Eliff Hall to the St. Mary's complex, giving nursing students the opportunity to train in a more realistic medical setting.
Linn State Technical College - which becomes the State Technical College of Missouri in July - also is interested in moving its medical-technology program to the St. Mary's facility.
Some have suggested the state Transportation Department's headquarters also could move to the St. Mary's complex, freeing up MoDOT's building just east of the Capitol.
"As we've been talking about for awhile, in order to make this Capitol compliant with the Americans With Disabilities Act," Schaefer told reporters, "we do need additional space. The MoDOT building does fit in well with that and, in discussions with the governor's office and the Office of Administration, there is a potential to free that space up and move some overflow from the Capitol in that building.
"I think that's a good plan - hopefully, that will move forward."
No final decisions have been announced.