Missouri changes income tax deadline, child care, Medicaid and driver’s license rules
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson issued social distancing mandates Saturday and rolled out new efforts to help those affected by the global novel coronavirus pandemic.
Parson, following moves by other states and Missouri cities, will force bars and restaurants to stop serving customers in-house and order residents to avoid social gatherings of more than 10 people.
Though the mandate was originally announced Friday, Parson made it official Saturday afternoon. The order takes effect Monday and will remain in place until April 6.
“As the COVID-19 crisis continues to develop, this is a critical step in protecting the health and safety of Missourians,” Parson said. “I cannot emphasize enough how important it is for all citizens to practice social distancing and abide by this order, which is backed by intense deliberation and knowledge.”
Parson’s order came the same day that leaders of St. Louis city and St. Louis County, along with Kansas City Mayor Quinton Lucas, issued more restrictive “stay at home” orders set to go into effect next week.
On Saturday, Missouri’s governor also announced that the deadline for paying state income taxes is delayed until July 15 for up to $1 million of the filer’s 2019 tax burden. The federal tax deadline was extended to July 15 this week.
Likewise, vehicle owners with registrations or license plates expiring in March and April have been granted an automatic two-month extension.
“The more people reduce their public contact, the sooner the virus will be contained and the sooner we can overcome this challenge,” Parson said.
Missouri will not terminate individuals’ Medicaid coverage throughout the federal emergency.
With public and charter schools closed, Parson on Saturday announced temporary changes to the state’s child care system: Missouri will extend child care subsides and provider application renewals for 90 days.
Emergency rules allow for a 33% increase in the capacity of licensed child care facilities. Currently, the maximum number of children a facility can hold varies based on the age of the child and size of the facility.
For example, a child care home or center can have 10 mixed-aged children (children age 2 and up) per adult, according to the Department of Health and Human Services. Temporary rules would increase the capacity to a maximum of 13 mixed-aged children per adult.
Licensed child care providers will also be able to extend their hours of service.
Short term, 45-day licenses are also now available. The administration of those licenses will be based on an abbreviated inspection that focuses on “key health and safety indicators,” Parson said.
Jennifer Tidball, the acting director of the Missouri Department of Social Services, also announced changes to the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program, or SNAP, commonly called food stamps. Those follow the federal Families First Coronavirus Response Act, which President Donald Trump signed into law Wednesday.
One benefit will increase the maximum allotment in March and April for families who already qualify. The state has also waived work requirements for that program.
The U.S. Department of Agriculture authorized the state to extend the SNAP certification period for six months, waive all adverse-action notices for 90 days and waive initial in-person interviews for qualifying individuals for 90 days.
The governor Saturday emphasized that the fallout and response to the virus is constantly changing.
“Every day this changes,” he told reporters. “It’s just a moving target every day to what we do up here.”
This story was originally published March 21, 2020 at 6:53 PM.
