Missouri House leaders hope to start debate in the full chamber on two of their priority measures this week.
One bill would require drug-testing for people who receive cash welfare payments. The other would offer small businesses a $10,000 tax deduction for each full-time job they create with a salary at least as high as the county's average wage. The tax deduction would double if the business also pays half of its workers' health insurance premiums.
Speaker Steven Tilley, a Republican from Perryville, says the House likely will focus on both bills this week.
Lawmakers are on a tight schedule. They're off Monday for Martin Luther King Jr. Day, and Gov. Jay Nixon is scheduled to deliver his State of the State speech Wednesday night.