Bill Eigel

The session, called by Missouri Gov. Mike Parson, is supposed to center around a permanent income tax cut as well as tax credits for agriculture. However, some lawmakers are filing unrelated bills in hopes of passing them this time around.

The caucus frequently clashed with Republican leadership but now members say they want a united front to pursue GOP platform policies.

The Senate version outspends the budget passed by the House weeks ago by more than $1 billion. Additionally, the Senate has yet to address how to allocate federal funding from the American Rescue Plan Act.

The map makes several changes compared to the House version that passed in January, including adding an emergency clause, which would put it into effect before the Aug. 2 primary.

While the Missouri House has already passed nearly 40 bills, gridlock in the Senate has brought operations in the upper chamber to a near-standstill. With eight weeks left, only a supplemental budget bill has made it past the finish line so far.

While senators were initially scheduled to debate the map this week, ongoing negotiations and acrimony delayed the process.

Missouri’s 2022 legislative session begins Wednesday with lawmakers in both the House and Senate gaveling in at noon.

Despite the Missouri House taking action to override four of Gov. Mike Parson’s vetoes, the Senate did not, so the vetoes stand.

The move could have implications for the 2022 U.S. Senate race, primarily because it could make it harder for someone like former Gov. Eric Greitens to win.

The bill would also restrict how much municipalities can reduce police department budgets and it would establish a fund for officers who have experienced trauma.