Mo. lawmakers approve midyear spending plan

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri lawmakers have given final approval to a midyear spending bill that shields one-quarter of the state's school districts from budget trimming.

The supplemental budget cleared the House on a 96-51 vote Thursday and goes now to Gov. Jay Nixon.

Tight revenue has caused the state to skip $43 million in scheduled midyear payments to school districts. Education officials initially planned to spread the shortfall among all districts.

But lawmakers exempted about 150 that have not benefited from increases in state education aid.

Several House members now say the budget is unfair because the shortfall is not spread out among all school districts. This week, the House unsuccessfully tried to undo its earlier decision.

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Supplemental budget is HB2014

On the Net:

Legislature: http://www.moga.mo.gov