Missouri Farm Bureau President Garrett Hawkins made the following statement regarding Governor Parson signing transportation funding legislation into law:

“Rural Missouri’s roads and bridges have been neglected for too long. By signing SB 262, Governor Parson is boosting road and bridge funding for the first time in 25 years. We are pleased that this increase will be distributed fairly between urban and rural areas, and that it will return our transportation funding to approximately the purchasing power it had when it was last raised in 1996.

“We are grateful to the leadership of Senator Schatz and Representative Ruth in steering this legislation through the General Assembly. Giving Missourians the option of applying for a refund of the increase was an innovative solution. Thanks to efforts by them and others, Missouri will no longer be next-to-last in road and bridge funding. All Missourians can look forward to a safer and more reliable highway system thanks to the actions of the Governor and our state’s leaders.”