Missouri House passes higher education budget, MoWest at risk of losing more than $6 million

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KQTV) — After back‑and‑forth debate on the House floor Thursday morning, the Missouri House of Representatives passed its higher education budget bill that could cost a local university millions of dollars.

The House passed the budget 83-66, approving the higher education plan that would change the funding formula for universities.

If the budget makes it through the Senate and is signed by Missouri Governor Mike Kehoe, Missouri Western State University could lose more than $6 million in scheduled funding.

Representative Dirk Deaton (R-District 159) led the House Budget Committee’s move to change state funding for higher education to be based on the number of students at each institution.

During the debate on the House floor, Representative Brenda Shields (R-District 11) of Buchanan County stated that her district’s university would be impacted by this change, but urged lawmakers to let the process play out in the Senate as well.

Shields, along with Rep. Jeff Farnan (R-District 1), Rep. Dean VanSchoiack (R-District 9) and Rep. Sean Pouche (R-District 13), voted yes on the budget proposal. Representative Bill Falkner (R-District 10) voted no.

The budget bill will now head to the Missouri Senate.