House gives first-round approval to all 13 budget bills, but leaves some things out and cuts others

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1/21/2015: Newspaper Story - Nixon's State of the State Address features call for Medicaid expansion, but few specifics otherwise

Intro:	Many things are included in a $26 billion budget given initial approval by the House Tuesday, but some things were not included.
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Wrap: One thing the House did not include in its budget is Medicaid expansion.

This is despite Democrat Judy Morgan of Kansas City offering an amendment to the Social Services appropriations bill that would expand Medicaid.

She said Missouri not expanding Medicaid is wrong.

Actuality:	MORGAN.WAV
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Description: "I'm not giving up on this issue. I will keep fighting for this til the day I leave this chamber because I think it's the right thing to do and I think it's the smart thing to do."

After fierce opposition from Republicans, the amendment was defeated by a 115-44 vote.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Steven Anthony.

Intro:	Thousands of Missouri's state employees will not receive a pay raise under the House budget that was given first-round approval Tuesday.
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Wrap: Republican Kevin Engler of St. Francois County took his fellow lawmakers to task for not including a pay raise for state employees.

Actuality:	ENGLER.WAV
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Description: "We can talk about all these other great things that are a lot more sexy than saying we want to give our employees a decent pay raise for once, but is one percent too much to ask?"

Democrat Jon Carpenter of Kansas City blamed the legislature's failure to preserve funds in order to give state employees a raise.

Actuality:	CARPPAY.WAV
Run Time:	00:08
Description: "The reason we can't do it is because we don't have the money to do it. And why don't we have the money to do it? We can look in the mirror on that one."

Soon after the debate, the House gave first round-approval to all 13 of their budget bills.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Steven Anthony.

Intro:	A particular education item caused a big debate in the House Tuesday while the chamber debated its fiscal year 2016 budget.
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Wrap: House Majority Leader Todd Richardson offered an amendment to cut 1 million dollars from the Parents as Teachers program and put that money into the Teach for America program.

This made St. Louis County Democrat Margo McNeil very unhappy.

Actuality:	MCNEILPT.WAV
Run Time:	00:16
Description: "Parents as Teachers is a very important thing to put into place in this state so that we can have some growth in achievement, particularly in our lower income districts."

After much debate, the amendment was approved by the vast majority of the House.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Steven Anthony.