Conference Committee Retains Transit Funding at Lower Level

Kim Cella
April 23, 2026
Updated May 5, 2026
The Missouri Conference Committee took up the budget bills on May 4, 2026.   The Conference Committee reduced the state transit operating assistance line item by half from $5 million to $2.5 million from the Capitol Commission Funds. The Conference Committee positions will now need to be voted on this week by both chambers.   The deadline for the budget is May 8.  The budget bills will then go to the Governor.  
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Last week, the Missouri Senate worked through the budget bills including HB2004 which includes restoration of the $5 million in funding for transit investment. Currently, Missouri State Transit Assistance totals $6.7 million – $5 million from the Capitol Commission Funds plus $1.7 million from the State Transportation Fund. The bill was passed out of Senate Appropriations committee on April 15, 2026.
In January, Governor Kehoe proposed cutting $5 million in transit funding from General Revenue in his FY2027 budget recommendations. This came on the heels of a 42% reduction in state funding last year.  If enacted, the additional cut would leave just $1.7 million to be split among 30 transit providers statewide for operating assistance. Per capita spending has already dropped from $1.89 to $1.08 in the last year — which is among the lowest in the nation — and would drop to 27 cents under the governor’s proposal. The House Budget Committee supported this stance in their budget released in March. “Kudos to the Senate and the bipartisan leadership within the Senate Appropriations Committee for supporting public transit,” said Kimberly Cella, CEO of Citizens for Modern Transit.  “Public transit providers deliver nearly 40 million rides each year across rural and urban Missouri, while also stimulating $4 billion in economic activity statewide. Restoration of the $5 million will ensure that countless Missourians maintain access to reliable transportation. Without this funding, the impending service cuts or loss of service altogether would disproportionately affect vulnerable populations, including seniors, individuals with disabilities and those living in rural and underserved areas. It means losing access to jobs, dialysis appointments, essential health care services, necessary medications and groceries. It is critical now for riders, advocates and supporters to reach out Conference Committee members and especially the Governor’s office to ensure this $5 million remains in the budget.”
May 8 is the deadline for approval of the Missouri budget.  The Missouri Public Transit Association, Citizens for Modern Transit, riders, providers, stakeholders and advocates have been reaching out to members of the Senate Appropriations Committee on the dire impacts of reducing transit assistance to zero from General Revenue.  Now is the time to reach out to the Governor’s office to support this funding. Please take 5 minutes to ask Conference Committee members and the Governor to support the $6.7 million in public transit investment in HB 2004 requested by the Missouri Highway and Transportation Commission for Missouri transit, maintaining the public transit funding levels of 2025. Contact to the Governor’s office can be made here: https://governor.mo.gov/contact-us/mo-governor or calls can be made to: 573.751.3222.
Conference Committee Members Information:
Name Committee District Provider Room # Email Phone
Representative

Bishop Davidson

Conference Committee District 130- Springfield CU Transit/OATS Transit 306-B bishop.davidson@house.mo.gov 573-751-2381
Representative

Betsy Fogle

Conference Committee District 135- Springfield CU Transit/OATS Transit 109-A betsy.fogle@house.mo.gov 573-751-9809
Representative

Dirk Deaton

Conference Committee District 159- Newton, McDonald OATS Transit 309 dirk.deaton@house.mo.gov 573-751-9801
Representative

Kimberly Ann Collins

Conference Committee District 77- St. Louis City Metro Transit 201-BA kimberlyann.collins@house.mo.gov 573-751-1400
Representative

Mike Steinmeyer

Conference Committee District 20- Jackson KCATA 116-A2 mike.steinmeyer@house.mo.gov 573-751-3674
Senator

Rusty Black

Conference Committee District 12- Andrew, etc. OATS Transit 420 rusty.black@senate.mo.gov 573-751-1415
Senator

Brad Hudson

Conference Committee District 33- Douglas, etc. OATS Transit 426 brad.hudson@senate.mo.gov 573-751-1882
Senator

Sandy Crawford

Conference Committee District 28- Benton, etc. OATS Transit 319 sandy.crawford@senate.mo.gov 573-751-8793
Senator

Karla May

Conference Committee District 4- St. Louis City Metro Transit 225 karla.may@senate.mo.gov 573-751-3599
Senator

Brian Williams

Conference Committee District 14- St. Louis County Metro Transit 428A brian.williams@senate.mo.gov 573-751-4106
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