District lobbyist briefs St. Louis Public Schools committee on 2025 Missouri legislative session as voucher, open‑enrollment and testing bills advance

Steve Carroll, the district’s Jefferson City political consultant and lobbyist, told the St. Louis Public Schools Legislative and Advocacy Committee on April 4 that the final weeks of the 2025 Missouri legislative session will be decisive for multiple education bills, including proposals on open enrollment, voucher funding, testing and school safety.

Carroll said the House passed its FY26 budget at about $48 billion — roughly $2 billion less than the governor requested — and that negotiators are now working to reconcile House and Senate versions. “Yesterday, the House passed out their version of the FY26 state budget. It was a $48,000,000,000 budget, roughly $2,000,000,000 less than what the governor had requested,” Carroll said.

Why it matters: several bills under debate would change how state dollars and student placements are handled and could affect local revenue, transportation costs and legal exposure for districts. Committee members discussed strategy for a possible resolution opposing an open‑enrollment bill and heard updates on other bills the district is tracking.

Key items Carroll highlighted

- Voucher funding: Carroll said the House included $50 million of general revenue for a tuition tax‑credit voucher program — the first time, he said, general revenue is being proposed for that program — and that the Senate has signaled resistance. Carroll said the voucher tax‑credit program can reach a $75 million cap and that roughly $17 million has been used to date.

- Foundation formula and K–12 budget: Carroll said the House underfunded the state foundation formula by about…