Senator Mike Bernskoetter

6th Senatorial District

For Immediate Release: 

March 13, 2026

Capitol Building, Room 416

Jefferson City, MO 65101

Contact Kenny Ross: 

 573-751-2076

An Update on the Governor’s Tax Plan

At the beginning of this session the governor proposed a plan to eliminate the state income tax. I have wondered how this could be accomplished without applying undue pressure on Missourians through increased sales tax. 

Currently, the Missouri House of Representatives is working hard on the governor’s plan. The bill carrying the legislation is House Joint Resolution 173. The House Committee on Commerce held a public hearing at the end of January and it passed in the House this week. The Senate will take it up next for deliberation.

In its current form, this bill does not eliminate the income tax or increase sales tax. If passed this would place a measure on the ballot later this year asking voters if they would like to allow the legislature to adjust the tax code and make this endeavor a possibility. If approved, the legislature would have permission to lower Missouri’s income tax, while increasing sales and use taxes in equal proportion. This bill would not allow funding to drop simply to lower the income tax, and it would not allow for an expansion of sales tax except to lower income tax. It also implements a mechanism to gradually phase out income tax if there is a large enough increase from one year to the next. 

I am hopeful that the legislature will manage to find an outcome that will alleviate the overall tax burden on Missourians.

If you have any questions, please reach out. 

Please feel free to contact my office at 573-751-2076. For information about my committee assignments or sponsored legislation, please visit my official Missouri Senate website at senate.mo.gov/Bernskoetter.