JEFFERSON CITY — Members of the upper chamber gave their initial approval for the first time this legislative session to a measure that would make changes to certain benevolent tax credits in the state.  These categorized tax credits serve charitable organizations rather than profit-making entities.

Senate Bill 20, sponsored by Sen. Bob Dixon, R-Springfield, would:

• Extend the Public Safety Officer Surviving Spouse tax credit program;
• Eliminate provisions authorizing funds from the Special Needs Adoption tax credit be used for the Children in Crisis tax credit, establish a $2 million cap for in-state adoptions, and prohibit the use of this tax credit for out-of-state adoptions;
• Change the name of the Children in Crisis tax credit to the Champion for Children tax credit, reauthorize this tax credit to sunset in December 2019, and establish a $2 million per tax year cap for the tax credit;
• Extend the sunset to December 2019 on section of state law that creates the tax credit for certain taxpayers who modify their homes to make them accessible for a disabled resident;
• Remove spending requirement for remaining tax credits under Rebuilding Communities tax credit program;
• Reauthorize the tax credit for contributions to pregnancy resource centers (to sunset December 2019) and prohibit the assignment or transfer of this particular tax credit, as well as reauthorize the tax credit for donations to food pantries (to sunset December 2019) and reduce the cap to $1.25 million per fiscal year for this tax credit; and
• Place the recently created developmental disability car provider tax credit program under the requirements of the Tax Credit Accountability Act of 2004.

Senate Bill 20, perfected by the Missouri Senate on Monday, Jan. 28, contains an emergency clause, meaning it would immediately become law upon receipt of the governor’s signature.  Final approval to SB 20 would send the measure to the House of Representatives for similar consideration.