Senator Mike Bernskoetter

6th Senatorial District

For Immediate Release: 

May 2, 2025

Capitol Building, Room 416

Jefferson City, MO 65101

Contact Kenny Ross: 

 573-751-2076

The Budget

The state budget has been a priority this week as the Senate must work through the various budget bills so there is still time to work together with the House of Representatives to work out any changes before the May 9 deadline.

Passing a balanced state budget is the General Assembly’s one constitutionally mandated responsibility. It is something I am very proud Missouri includes in its Constitution. It is a large focus this time of year as the General Assembly decides the amount of money to designate to the various important programs, projects and agencies. As you can imagine, opinions can vary drastically, and while we have reached an agreement here in the Senate, there are still hurdles to overcome with the House of Representatives.

One of the most discussed aspects of the budget is the amount of money the state will spend on education. Education is always a top priority and consistently a source of debate when finalizing the budget. Currently, the funding needed for education in the state, calculated through the Foundation Formula, is accelerating at a faster rate than the State can reasonably keep up with. Year after year the needs of education have increased and the funding we provide has increased alongside it. I believe education needs to be funded. However, a more sustainable route to fund education must be found.

In addition, there are other issues, such as specific state projects, government funding and medical funding - among other things, which need to be funded as well. 

As the Senate sends the budget back over to the House of Representatives, the two chambers will need to come together in committee to discuss and settle disagreements in the coming week.

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.