Mo. House panel backs governor on busing aid

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A Missouri House committee has opted not to try to increase funding for school busing and the state's A+ scholarship program.

Some lawmakers had distributed amendments Tuesday that would have provided about $35 million of additional money for public school transportation. But the committee did not vote on any of those amendments Tuesday.

Instead, the panel stuck with Gov. Jay Nixon's recommendation of about $98 million in busing funds for the upcoming school year. That's about one-third less than schools originally were budgeted to receive in busing aid this year, before Nixon made cuts.

The committee also took no vote on proposed amendments to provide a $5 million increase for the state's A+ scholarship program for community college students.