Missouri Budget Approved

(AP) – The Missouri Legislature has passed a budget that boosts education funding and cuts off state money for Planned Parenthood.
The $27 billion spending plan approved Thursday now goes to Gov. Jay Nixon. It would take effect July 1.
The budget includes a 4 percent increase for higher education institutions, though the University of Missouri system’s administration would see a $3.8 million cut.
It adds $71 million to the nearly $3.3 billion of existing basic aid for K-12 schools. But that is still more than $400 million below the legal guidelines for school funding.
Lawmakers blocked Medicaid funding from going to any entity that offers elective abortions. That money already is prohibited from paying for abortions, but Planned Parenthood currently accepts Medicaid payments for services such as vaccinations and exams.