JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) - The Latest on Missouri legislation to avoid budget cuts to services for seniors and the disabled (all times local):
8:30 p.m.
Lawmakers in the Missouri House and Senate are in a stare-down over how to fund services for seniors and the disabled.
Republican and Democratic Senate leaders held a joint news conference Thursday evening saying they would reject a new House proposal for avoiding budgeted cuts to in-home care and nursing services.
About 8,300 Medicaid recipients are due to lose personal care services under the budget plan approved for next year.
The House passed a measure earlier Thursday which would avoid those cuts if revenues exceed projections this year.
The Senate previously passed a plan to avoid the cuts by diverting money from numerous special funds dedicated for particular purposes.
Lawmakers have until 6 p.m. Friday to agree on a final version of legislation.
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6:15 p.m.
Missouri House members have put forth a new solution to avoid budgeted cuts to in-home care and nursing services for the disabled.
The measure approved Thursday with bipartisan support depends on state revenues exceeding their projections during the current fiscal year. If that happens, then part of those excess revenues would be used to avoid cuts in next year’s budget affecting Medicaid services for about 8,300 people with disabilities.
The House proposal is an alternative to a Senate one that would take money out of numerous dedicated funds to cover the costs of the Medicaid program.
Opponents of the Senate proposal say it would give the executive branch too much power to decide where money goes. The House and Senate have the power to appropriate funds.
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