Special legislative session on tax cuts delayed a week

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

A special session called to consider a $700 million permanent income tax cut will be pushed back a week, Missouri legislative leaders said Wednesday.

The decision came out of discussions this week among legislative leaders. Senate Majority Leader Caleb Rowden (R-Columbia) shared a joint statement about the decision from House and Senate leaders on his Twitter account Wednesday.

JOINT LEADERSHIP STATEMENT ON SPECIAL SESSION — “Today we had an extremely productive discussion on the issues the Governor asked us to address during special session. Our goal is to provide Missourians with the most substantive and effective tax relief possible… 1/3 #MOLeg

— Caleb Rowden (@calebrowden) August 31, 2022

The special session had been scheduled to start after Labor Day.

"Our intent is to continue discussions next week with the goal of beginning legislative action during the week of the veto session," the statement says.

The state's annual veto session is set to begin Sept. 14.

The special session will take up legislation on the income tax cut, which would reduce the top tax bracket from 5.3% to 4.8%, and extensions of agricultural tax credits. The proposal also increases the standard deduction and eliminates the bottom two income tax brackets.

Parson has been touring the state to promote the plan, including a stop in Columbia.

Critics have said the state can't afford such a large, permanent tax cut.