Missouri Governor Mike Parson signed into a law HB4 today with historic funding levels for transit. The Missouri State Legislative Session adjourned in May with a significant move in support of public transportation for the second year in a row. The legislature approved HB4, which included $10 million in General Revenue and another $1.7 million from the State Transportation Fund, totaling $11.7 million in transit funding from the state. The final step was the Governor’s signature which came today. HB4 also included $5 million for the MEHTAP program.
This will be the second consecutive year Missouri has increased its transit funding. In 2022, the state invested $8.7 million in transit, marking the first substantive investment in transit in more than two decades. The 2023 investment represents a 34% increase over 2022, and a more than 580% increase since 2021.
“This increase is critically needed – considering Missouri was ranked 45th in the nation just two years ago for transit investment and had allocated only $1.7 million each of the prior four years – but it will go so much further when considering federal matches,” said Kimberly Cella, executive director of the Missouri Public Transit Association.
This funding will help provide the non-federal or local match required to enable transit providers to draw down some of the $91 billion in federal funds earmarked for transit as part of the $1.2 trillion Infrastructure Investment and Jobs Act.
Federal funding support requires a 50:50 match for transit operations and an 80:20 match for capital programming. Missouri transit providers have been working diligently to identify local funding sources through sales tax, private contracts and more, but the most significant missing link up to this point had been the lack of state funding. This would be the case no more.
This funding will help expand transit accessibility and continue allowing transit providers to deliver millions of rides annually so Missourians can gain access to jobs, healthcare needs, education, goods and services. Missouri is back on track for transit.
Special thanks to those who stood in support of transit. Thank you.