How KC-area lawmakers voted on bill that cut Dolly Parton’s free book program
AI-generated summary reviewed by our newsroom.
- Funding for Imagination Library was cut from $6 million to $2 million in the state budget.
- As of March 31, 169,032 children were enrolled and new enrollments stop July 1.
- The education bill passed 83-68, the least support for a budget bill this session.
Tucked away in Missouri’s education spending bill lawmakers passed in March was a cut to Dolly Parton’s Imagination Library program.
The education funding bill was the most controversial spending bill passed by lawmakers this session, with several Republicans defecting when it passed 83-68. But the cut to Imagination Library, where funding was cut from $6 million to $2 million, was barely a blip on the radar in context of the $8.4 billion education budget.
Despite the small figure, the program touched thousands of kids across the state. As of March 31, 169,032 kids were enrolled in the program, about 45% of all children younger than 6 in Missouri.
New children won’t be able to join the program through the state starting on July 1.
The Star reached out to 11 KC-area lawmakers, nine Republicans and three Democrats, to ask about the funding cut, but only heard back from two Democrats.
- Rep. Pattie Mansur
- Rep. Aaron Crossley
- Rep. Mike Steinmeyer
- House Speaker Jonathan Patterson
- Rep. Carolyn Caton
- Rep. Josh Hurlbert
- Rep. Bill Allen
- House Minority Leader Ashley Aune
- Sen. Joe Nicola
- Sen. Rusty Black
What was controversial?
The Imagination Library wasn’t mentioned in the floor debate on the education funding bill in either the House or the Senate.
Instead, Democrats focused on the state failing to meet the state’s obligation in the school funding formula, funding schools with uncertain lottery funds and the state contributing more money to the Missouri Scholars Program, which can contribute money toward private school tuition.
Republicans countered that the state is maintaining the state’s record-high support for school funding from last year, despite coming up short of the school finance formula and defending the Missouri Scholars Program, which can also provide funds to kids in public schools.
How lawmakers voted on the education budget
Jackson County House Democrats
Rep. Wick Thomas: Nay
Rep. Will Jobe: Nay
Rep. Yolanda Young: Nay
Rep. Michael Johnson: Absent
Rep. Emily Weber: Nay
Rep. Patti Mansur: Nay
Rep. Tiffany Price: Nay
Rep. Melissa Douglas: Nay
Rep. Donna Barnes: Nay
Rep. Aaron Crossley: Nay
Rep. Kemp Strickler: Nay
Rep. Keri Ingle: Nay
Rap. Anthony Ealy: Absent
Rep. Mark Sharp: Absent
Jackson County House Republicans
Rep. Mike Steinmeyer: Yea
House Speaker Jonathan Patterson: Yea
Rep. Ron Fowler: Yea
Rep. Jeff Coleman: Yea
Rep. Carolyn Caton: Nay
Clay County House Democrats
Rep. Ken Jamison: Nay
Rep. Eric Woods: Nay
Rep. Martin Jacobs: Nay
Clay County House Republicans
Rep. Josh Hurlbert: Yea
Rep. Chris Brown: Yea
Rep. Bill Allen: Nay
Rep. Mark Meirath: Yea
Platte County House Democrats
House Minority Leader Ashley Aune: Nay
Platte County House Republicans
Rep. Mike Jones: Yea
Rep. Sean Pouche: Yea
KC-area Democratic Senators
Sen. Patty Lewis: Nay
Sen. Barbara Washington: Nay
Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern: Nay
KC-area Republican Senators
Sen. Tony Luetkemeyer: Yea
Sen. Joe Nicola: Yea
Sen. Mike Cierpiot: Yea
This story was originally published June 1, 2026 at 2:35 PM with the headline "How KC-area lawmakers voted on bill that cut Dolly Parton’s free book program."
