COLUMBIA, Mo. (AP) — The Missouri House on Monday is expected to begin debate on the state’s budget for the upcoming fiscal year, a daunting task amid declining revenue because of the coronavirus.
House debate on the bill is expected to last two days.
Lawmakers are also on a tight schedule to send the budget to Republican Gov. Mike Parson by their May 8 constitutional deadline. Normally they spend months perfecting the budget, but they’ve been off work for weeks over concerns about spreading coronavirus.
They’ll be gathering in the Capitol days before Parson’s statewide stay-at-home order is set to expire May 3, although the governor has said he’s OK with them meeting as long as they follow social distancing guidelines including staying 6 feet apart.
Only one lawmaker so far has reported testing positive for COVID-19. The Capitol underwent a deep cleaning after Kansas City-area Rep. Joe Runions was hospitalized for the virus in mid-May. He’s recovering.
Visitors can go to the Capitol to watch lawmakers work in person, but they’ll have their temperatures checked and will be asked questions to screen for recent exposure to coronavirus.
House debate will be livestreamed.
