Legislative Session Review: Missouri

Missouri adjourned its 2018 legislative session sine die on May 18, but lawmakers did not officially end work until June 11 due to a special session to investigate then-Governor Eric Greitens (R) and consider impeachment. Greitens eventually resigned on May 29, and Lt. Governor Mike Parson (R) succeeded him. Greitens faced separate House investigations related to an affair that led to felony invasion of privacy charges, which were later dropped, allegations that his campaign misused a charity donor list, and allegations that Greitens lied to the state ethics commission.

Despite the Greitens scandal looming over the session, the Republican-dominated legislature passed a $28 billion budget that increased spending for higher education.

Legislative Highlights

• Lawmakers passed a tax cut bill to lower the top individual income tax rate from 6 percent to 5.1 percent if certain growth rates are met.
• Lawmakers passed legislation that changes the calculation for how local governments determine prevailing wages.
• The legislature also raised the minimum age to get married from 15 to 16 and barred people aged 21 or older from marrying minors, and passed a bill making “revenge porn” a crime.

Election Preview

The legislature moved a right-to-work repeal referendum pushed by unions to the August 7 primary date, rather than the November general election date. In November, voters will decide decide whether to hike the gas tax by 10 cents per gallon to pay for road and bridge repair. Governor Mike Parson won’t face voters until 2020, but all 163 state House seats and 17 of the 34 Senate seats are on the ballot this November.