State committee urges discussion of using reserve funds for disaster response

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) -- A Missouri House committee reviewing disaster response is recommending that lawmakers debate whether to tap a reserve fund to help pay for recovery.

Speaker Pro Tem Shane Schoeller, a Republican from Willard, is the chairman of the committee. Schoeller says the panel wants the full House to consider drawing from the state's "rainy day fund" to pay for disaster recovery and establishing a committee to oversee the funds.

Gov. Jay Nixon is planning to call a special legislative session in September on measures addressing economic development, disaster recovery and the date of next year's presidential primary.

The state has responded this year to numerous disasters, including massive flooding on the Missouri and Mississippi rivers, the tornado that killed 159 people in Joplin and other, smaller tornadoes.