Several votes still needed for lawmakers to make state budget deadline Friday evening

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

Time is running out to pass the state budget bill, but several votes are still needed for this to happen. 

The state budget deadline is scheduled for 6:00 p.m. on Friday, which means lawmakers will reconvene at 10 a.m. on Friday morning at the state Capitol with the goal of passing four bills and giving final approval to the 13 bills from Wednesday's conference committee.

Following a seven-hour-long filibuster Thursday, senators were able to introduce the four remaining budget bills that still need to pass. 

However, one issue is a group of senators refuses to give up the floor until a bill impacting Cass County is brought back up for a vote. House Bill 909 would prevent landfills from being built within one mile of a residential area. 

Some other bills include $5 million dollars for an environmental study on Highway 63 and $2.8 billion toward expanding I-70 across the state.

"The budget process would technically start over with new bills filed in the special session, although my expectation would be those bills would be filed largely based on what the agreements were here" Rep. Peter Merideth said. "But there'd be a whole another chance for amendment and debate on everything that we've done in this process. and it would have to all be passed again."

If lawmakers fail to make the deadline on Friday, they'll have to go into a special session.