STATE CAPITOL — Governor Mike Kehoe called Missouri lawmakers back to the State Capitol Monday for a special session. The special session came after lawmakers failed to pass some key legislation during the regular session. The first day of the special session only lasted 30 minutes.
Kehoe said his special session priorities included incentives to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals in Missouri, assistance to storm victims across the state, and state funding to help pay for a new research reactor in Columbia. The Governor’s plan to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals in Missouri included the Show Me Sports Investment Act. The proposal would give both teams at least $1.5 billion in state funding for new stadiums. The Chiefs and Royals faced a deadline at the end of the month on whether they would accept an offer from Kansas or stay in Missouri. The special session proposal would also give both teams $50 million in state tax incentives. Kehoe said the loss of the Chiefs and Royals would be devastating to Missouri’s economy. Opponents of the proposal said it’s too expensive.
Senate Minority Floor Leader Doug Beck wanted to help storm victims before tackling any stadium legislation.
Beck said, “My focus is the appropriations bill and what we do for the people in St. Louis and the tornado, the cancer research, and all those things. Until that happens and it’s through the House and on the Governor’s desk, then we can talk about the other bill.”
The special session also included a proposal to approve $25 million in state funding to help pay for a new University of Missouri research reactor in Columbia. The special session continues Tuesday at 10:00 a.m.