Governor signs mid-year budget boost

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. -- Gov. Jay Nixon has signed a mid-year increase to Missouri's budget that adds more than $460 million in spending to the state's current $26 billion budget.

Nixon on Friday approved the additional spending, of which more than $150 million comes from the federal government.

Most of the additional spending will go toward health care for people with low incomes, which the state legally is required to fund through Medicaid. Growing drug prices has been the biggest factor driving up costs, and caseloads also have increased.

The supplemental budget also covers an increase of more than $19 million for special education and $4 million for soil and water conservation grants.

The current budget expires June 30.