State budget supports high-tech manufacturing, workforce training

The Missouri General Assembly has passed a comprehensive state budget that includes significant investments to onshore high-tech manufacturing industries and build and retain a skilled workforce – top priorities of the Missouri Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

Legislators passed the FY2026 budget – which totals roughly $53 billion – before the 6 p.m. constitutional deadline on Friday, May 9.

Thanks to the Missouri Chamber’s advocacy efforts, the budget includes $6 million for the Credential Training Program. This competitive grant program reimburses employers who help their workers earn short-term certificates or credentials in vital areas for Missouri’s economy, such as cybersecurity, welding, construction or nursing.

The Missouri Chamber also led the push to secure $15 million to attract and expand high-tech manufacturing in the state – specifically, the production of semiconductors and active pharmaceutical ingredients, or APIs. This funding will help combat the public health and national security risk caused by an over-reliance on foreign-sourced products.

The budget bills are now headed to Gov. Mike Kehoe for his signature.

Other pro-business highlights from the budget include:

K-12 Education

• Fully funding the foundation formula – $4.3B
• K-12 transportation – $376.6M
• Pre-K grants to child care facilities – $16.2M
• Pre-K grants to schools – $55.8M
• Providing a baseline teacher salary of $40,000 – $66.8M
• STEM career awareness – $370,000
• Computer science education – $450,000
• Career and technical education programs – $5.5M
• WorkKeys career readiness assessments – $1.2M
• Career and technical education center improvements – $11M
• Career and technical education – $82.8M
• Youth apprenticeships – $611,000

Higher Education & Workforce Development

• A 3% increase in funding for community colleges and universities
• Fast Track Workforce Incentive Grant program – $8M
• Cost-free computer education training – $1M
• Certified Work Ready Communities program – $100,000
• High school industry-recognized credentials program – $1.5M
• Registered apprenticeship expansion – $3M
• Technology updates to job centers – $196,000
• University of Missouri NextGen Precision Health – $20M
• Alliance for Healthcare Education in Springfield – $15M
• Construction of Missouri S&T’s new Missouri Protoplex Facility – $35.8M
• New engineering school at the University of Missouri–St. Louis – $15M

Transportation

• Advanced Industrial Manufacturing Zones and Targeted Industrial Manufacturing Enhancement Zones – $2.1M
• I-70 expansion bond payments – $136M
• 1-44 expansion – $44M
• Bridge construction and repair – $45.6M
• Transportation cost-share program – $9.8M
• Maintenance and repair of low-volume roads – $20M
• Daily Amtrak service – $19.2M
• Improving railroad crossing safety – $3M
• Port authority grants – $32M
• Freight enhancement connector projects – $3.3M

Administration

• World Cup planning and logistics – $17.5M

Economic Development

• Business recruitment and marketing – $9M
• St. Louis economic revitalization and apprenticeships – $6.1M
• CHIPS Act project attraction – $10M
• Small Business Credit Initiative – $68M
• Community Development Block Grant Program – $123.4M
• Missouri Main Street Connection program – $1.7M
• Missouri Downtown Economic Stimulus Act – $3.8M
• Downtown Revitalization Preservation Program – $360,000
• Missouri One Start community college training program – $27M
• Missouri One Start new and expanding industry training – $15.2M
• Broadband expansion and deployment – $1.8B
• Broadband cell towers – $19.8M
• Tourism funding – $27M
• Local tourism grants – $22.2M
• World Cup sponsorships and marketing – $2M
• Community revitalization funding requiring a local match – $78.6M
• Industrial Site Development Grant Program – $44.6M

Public Safety/Corrections

• Re-entry and job coaching programs for offenders – $8.3M
• Grants to public safety officers – $16.9M
• De-escalation training for public safety officers – $1M

Health

• Construction of four new behavioral health crisis centers in high-need areas – $1.7M

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