JEFFERSON CITY — After several days of negotiations and many more hours of debate on the Senate floor, lawmakers in the upper chamber gave their approval early this morning (4-25) to the 13 bills that make up Missouri’s core operating budget for FY 2013, along with a supplemental bill for FY 2012.

House Bill 2014, handled in the upper chamber by the chair of the Senate Appropriations Committee, authorizes an additional $131 million in expenditures for the 2012 fiscal year.  The measure, among other funding provisions, provides $31 million for elementary and secondary education, $4 million in federal funds for additional high speed rail, $3.4 million in General Revenue for the Department of Corrections to fund health care for inmates, $31.8 million in federal and General Revenue funding for community-based services within the Medicaid program, and $40 million in federal funds to implement electronic health records within the Department of Social Services.  With the Senate’s approval, the measure now moves to the governor for his signature.

Funding for a program benefiting low-income, blind Missourians and a 2 percent pay raise for all state employees who make up to $45,000 were among the major items featured in the $24 billion state budget passed by the Senate early Wednesday (4-25) morning.  All House budget bills were handled on the Senate floor by the Senate Appropriations Committee chairman.

Members of the Senate failed to adopt an amendment offered by Sen. Tom Dempsey, R-St. Charles, to House Bill 2002 that would have eliminated the 2 percent pay increase for certain state workers.  Among the major changes to HB 2002, a measure that funds the Department of Elementary and Secondary Education, included $14,357,481 for Early Childhood Special Education (funds swapped in Early Childhood Development, Education, and Care Fund for General Revenue); $5 million in increased funding for the Foundation Formula; and $2 million from reallocated Early Childhood Development, Education, and Care Fund funding from the Missouri Preschool Program to the Parents as Teachers Program.

House Bill 2003, responsible for funding the Department of Higher Education, included $1.36 million in core transfer of Missouri Innovation Center funding from the Department of Economic Development.

A measure that provides funding to the Department of Social Services, HB 2011, included $68,083,414 in increased funding for the change in the Federal Medical Assistance Percentage (FMAP) rate, including $28,915,448 in general revenue; $50,730,012 in additional federal funding to increase reimbursement rates to Medicaid Primary Care Providers to bring rates equal to Medicare reimbursement rates; and $40,000,000 in increased federal funding for Medicaid providers to implement Electronic Healthcare Technology systems.  In addition, an estimated savings of $39,583,736 was found within a pharmacy program as a result of a switch from brand name prescriptions to generic prescriptions, including $15,085,361 in General Revenue.

An amendment to HB 2011, adopted by the Senate, restored full funding for Missouri’s health care program for low-income, blind citizens.  Another amendment, also approved by the Senate, offered by Sen. Jason Crowell, R-Cape Girardeau, removes the language that prohibits funds from being used to provide any services under the Mo HealthNet manager care program unless the program has contracted with all managed care organizations that have sought to participate in the program.

The following is the total (General Revenue, federal and other funding) for each state department found in the Senate’s version of the FY 2013 budget:

All 13 budget bills now return to the House for its final approval.  Any measure not approved by members of the House would be considered in a conference committee, where a panel of Senate and House appropriations and budget committee members would meet to iron out differences between the two chambers’ bills.

For more information about these measures and other bills moving through the Missouri Senate, visit www.senate.mo.gov.  To contact the Senate Newsroom, call (573) 751-3824 or email: newsroom@senate.mo.gov.