The Missouri Senate reconvened this week to discuss and finalize some important legislation related to the budget. Precautions were taken to protect those in attendance, and technology helped make the Senate’s proceedings accessible to the public. I believe there was a hopeful sentiment among legislators in light of the pandemic our country faces. I think we all realized how fortunate we are to call Missouri home and to have strong leadership during this outbreak.
On Tuesday, the Senate Appropriations Committee considered two funding proposals. House Bill 2456, the Federal Reimbursement Allowance (FRA Tax), refers to a tax paid by hospitals of about $500 million that make Missouri eligible for over $1 billion federal match dollars that the state uses to offset the costs of MO HealthNet. Each year it must be reauthorized by the Legislature. House Bill 2014 is the supplemental spending bill that authorizes the state to spend additional moneys not budgeted in the original annual budget, redistribute state funds and spend the funds it is receiving from the federal government in our state. The original supplement budget of about $400 million that was passed by the House in March was amended to reflect the approximately $5.5 billion in aid that the state will now be receiving from the federal government to address the effects of the COVID-19 virus. On Wednesday, the amended supplemental bill was third read and passed by the Senate and then returned to the House for a final vote. Additionally, the Senate third read and finally passed the renewal of the FRA Tax without modification. Both bills were sent to the governor later in the evening.
The Missouri Department of Labor has recently received “operational guidance” regarding the Federal Pandemic Unemployment Compensation (FPUC) program. This subsidiary program of the CARES Act will help workers that are laid-off or have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19 virus have a little added economic security during the interim months of the crisis.
On the national front, the Department of Homeland Security and the Cybersecurity & Infrastructure Security Agency (CISA) issued an advisory list of essential workers. The “Guidance on the Essential Critical Infrastructure Workforce: Ensuring Community and National Resilience in COVID-19 Response Version 2.0” outlines the key industries that are considered “essential”.
As state and local leaders continue to take action to slow the spread of the COVID-19 virus, my team has created an Online Guide for Navigating the Coronavirus for Dade, Jasper and Newton counties. The guide provides links to the latest resources and important county specific contact information. Please feel free to share the link to the guide on your social media outlet to raise awareness and help connect people with needed services.
Although the Easter season seems a little melancholy this year, I hope that you will take the opportunity to appreciate some of the small, miraculous things that are happening all around us. I am so proud of the way our state is handling the COVID-19 pandemic and how our community has united in the wake of the illness. We will rise above this!
