Conference Committee in recess; will continue on state budget Wednesday night

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

The Conference Committee on the state budget went to recess less than a minute into hearing and will reconvene at 10 p.m. Wednesday night.

According to Chairman Rep. Dirk Deaton, the committee can not be in conference while session is taking place in either chamber and due to the Senate's plans on working until 10 p.m.

Both chambers gaveled back into session at 10 a.m.

This comes as the Missouri House of Representatives and the Senate work to finalize the state budget bill while the deadline looms to have all spending bills approved by May 9.

The Senate approved the state's 13 budget bills, but the House rejected them last week. Because of this rejection, the budget discussions will head to the Conference Committee.

The Senate budget is about $50 million more than the one the House approved. The Senate Appropriation Committee's plan included $300 million more for public schools than was recommended by Governor Mike Kehoe. The Missouri House of Representatives passed a $47.9 billion state budget on April 3.