Federal Government Shutdown Causing Missourians to Lose Food Assistance
An estimated 667,000 Missourians are slated to lose their food assistance benefits starting in November due to the ongoing shutdown of the Republican-controlled federal government. While the Missouri Department of Social Services will continue to accept new applications for the program, no benefits will be distributed while the shutdown continues.
The federal government has been shut down since Oct. 1 due the failure of the Republican-controlled Congress to enact a budget resolution necessary to fund federal agencies after spending authority for the previous federal fiscal year expired. Twenty-five Democratic-led states plus the District of Columbia sued the U.S. Department of Agriculture on Oct. 28 in an attempt to force it to use $5.5 billion in available contingency funds to keep the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program temporarily funded into November amid the ongoing federal government shutdown, The Washington Post has reported.
The states filed the case in the U.S. District Court for Massachusetts, alleging USDA’s refusal to disburse the contingency funds violates federal law. Funding for SNAP, commonly known as food stamps, has cease as of Nov. 1 if the contingency funds aren’t used to provide partial benefits for the month. Two federal judges have ruled that the program should be funded from federal reserve funding.
The Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, commonly known as food stamps, provides assistance to low-income families to ensure they have basic access to food. About 42 million people nationwide rely on SNAP, about 40 percent of whom are children, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture, which oversees the program.
While SNAP is entirely funded by the federal government, each individual state is responsible for distributing benefits to its residents. Missouri receives approximately $130 million a month for SNAP, or about $1.5 billion annually. In order to address the gap I have partnered with some great organizations to host a Community Food Share and Food Drive on November 15th at 11:30am.
Responding to questions from reporters on Oct. 20, Gov. Mike Kehoe, a Republican, cast doubt on the possibility the state could temporarily backfill the missing federal funds for SNAP until the shutdown ends, according to the St. Louis Post-Dispatch. Kehoe said that in addition to the lack of unencumbered state funds that could be redirected to SNAP, state budget law doesn’t contain a mechanism for spending state, rather than federal, money on the program. During our 2025 Session I voted to appropriate $10M for Missouri Food Banks in House Bill 11.265 and $10.6M for House Bill 10.920. Governor Kehoe has instructed his administration to expedite the spending of those funds. This is not to be confused with an allocation of funds to fill the gap left from the federal government.
Missouri Voters Misled by Plan to Gut Citizen Initiative Rights
Opponents of a Republican plan to effectively make it impossible to ratify future constitutional amendments proposed by initiative petition filed a lawsuit on Oct. 23 alleging the ballot language GOP lawmakers wrote for the measure attempts to deceive voters as to its true purpose.
The Republican-controlled General Assembly passed House Joint Resolution 3 in September during a special legislative session. The primary intent of the measure, which is slated to appear on the November 2026 statewide ballot as Amendment 4, is to require future constitutional amendments proposed by Missouri citizens through the initiative process to pass in all eight of the state’s congressional districts to win ratification instead of just gaining a simple majority of the statewide vote, as currently is the case.
However, the ballot language for Amendment 4 that was written into HJR 3 buries the mention of that purpose near the end. The language instead highlights so-called “ballot candy”
intended to entice voters into supporting Amendment 4 even though they might oppose its gutting of the initiative petition process.
In addition to obscuring the measure’s purpose, the lawsuit says the description of the ballot candy provisions in the ballot language falsely claims Amendment 4 would “stop foreign nationals and foreign adversaries” from influencing ballot measure elections and “punish initiative petition signature fraud as a crime.” However, both foreign interference in elections and signature fraud are already illegal, meaning those provisions would have no practical impact.
According an analysis by the Missouri Independent, it would be mathematically possible under Amendment 4 for just over 5 percent of voters to block an amendment supported by the other 95 percent. Ratification of Amendment 4 will require just a simple statewide majority. Future amendments proposed by the legislature would continue to be subject to the lower ratification standard.
The ballot language lawsuit is T. David Rogers v. Secretary of State Denny Hoskins, et al.
MO House Future Caucus to Meeting Regarding AI/Cyber Security
The Future Caucus will convene on November 19, 2025, from 10:00 a.m.–12:30 p.m. at Lindenwood University to hear testimony on the intersection of artificial‐intelligence and cybersecurity. This is not just another hearing; it’s a moment for Missouri to lean in and close the growing gap between our laws and fast-moving technology. The Caucus, has been charged with identifying emerging issues like cyber threats, AI accountability, and digital misinformation. We can’t afford to play catch-up while cyber criminals, AI misinformation, and federal disinvestment outpace our laws.
In today’s landscape, new technologies are advancing faster than the statutes meant to govern them—leaving vulnerabilities in our infrastructure, workforce protections, and public trust. By gathering testimony in this convening, the Future Caucus is creating a space for voices across sectors—legal, technical, academic, community—to help craft legislation that is responsive, future-proof, and inclusive. For those of us focused on tech and policy in healthcare and the gig economy, this is a critical opportunity: we must shape frameworks now so that innovation uplifts rather than undermines workers, families, and the privacy and security of all Missourians.
Pre-Filing Set to Begin For 2026 Session
As we get ready for pre-filing on December 1st for the 2026 Legislative Session, I want to keep everyone in the loop on what I’m working toward and hear what matters most to you. Pre-filing is the time when legislators can start officially submitting bills and budget requests ahead of session, and it’s how we make sure your priorities get on the record early. This year, I’ll be pushing to secure $500,000 for addiction recovery services, continue my work on the Financial Institutions Committee to tackle predatory lending and boost financial literacy, and re-file my healthcare bill (HB901) that focuses on expanding access and equity across our communities.
I’m also turning attention toward affordable housing, revitalizing downtown vacancy, and growing apprenticeship programs that create jobs and strengthen local economies. I have heard from many constituents regarding the safety along Gravois /Highway 30. Missouri Department of Transportation will begin conducting public hearings in the spring. But as always, your ideas shape the work we do together. If there’s a local issue, policy gap, or creative solution you want to see advanced in Jefferson City, now’s the time to speak up. Send me an email at Marty.Murray@House.Mo.Gov, I want our 2026 agenda to reflect your voice and our shared vision for progress.
Marty Joe Murray, Jr 