State worker pay raises advance in Missouri legislature

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

An emergency spending budget to raise state workers' pay unanimously passed out of a Missouri Senate committee Tuesday, putting it one step closer to the governor’s desk.

In that budget is an 8.7% pay raise for state workers. The budget also includes a $2 shift differential for state employees who work overnight shifts.

This same bill passed out of the Missouri House of Representatives last week. Representatives decided to make a change so that the governor, judges and state lawmakers would not get the raise.

This state worker pay raise was part of the governor’s legislative priorities for the year, outlined in his State of the State speech last month.

Lawmakers hope this pay raise will help with staffing shortages. But many Democrats are saying it doesn't go far enough.

"We can't have hourly workers making next to nothing out there making sure that kids aren't being abused or losing out on security guards at our prisons to Dollar General," said Sen. Greg Razer (D-Kansas City).

The next step is a debate in the Senate, which could happen soon.