Staff Contact: Brian Kinkade
Gov. Parson presented his spending and policy priorities for the upcoming year in the annual State of the State address delivered to a joint session of the General Assembly this afternoon. The governor listed infrastructure, education, workforce, government reform and health care as high priorities. He presented a substantial FY 2024 budget that is bolstered by record-high cash balances that have accumulated from federal COVID relief, enhanced Medicaid match rates and extraordinarily high 2021 and 2022 state tax collections.
Specific funding recommendations include the following.
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- infrastructure: $250 million for broadband; $859 million for I-70 expansion
- workforce and education: $382 for K-12 education; $71 million for higher education, $275 million for higher education capital improvements, and $134 million for pre-kindergarten programs and child care subsidies
- government reform: 8.7% state employee pay plan; $22 million for strategic investments in the child welfare system
- health care: $3.5 million for behavioral health liaisons; $4 million for certified nurse assistant training; $4.3 million for DHSS’s maternal mortality plan
MHA staff will provide the membership with additional analysis of Gov. Parson’s budget and policy recommendations in the coming days.