By AP/KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – Missouri lawmakers have approved spending an additional $217 million to carry the state through the final three months of this current fiscal year.
The money is on top of the state's current $19 billion operating budget.
The State House and Senate both approved the spending bill yesterday; it now awaits signature from Governor Matt Blunt.
Most of the new spending for the fiscal year ending June 30th would go toward the growing number of poor, elderly and disabled individuals qualifying for Medicaid.
But the increase could be short lived because Blunt has proposed cuts, starting July First. His cuts would eliminate 100,000 of the one million Missourians on Medicaid by tightening eligibility requirements.