State Rep. Ray Reed used the Missouri General Assembly’s special session to file House Bill 2, which would establish a Missouri Child Tax Credit with the goal of cutting childhood poverty in Missouri by half.
While the special session brought increased tornado relief funds coming to the St. Louis area from the state, it was focused on tax breaks to fund the Gov. Kehoe’s quest to keep the Kansas City Chiefs and Royals in Missouri.
The state of Kansas has passed legislation that too would financially incentivize the franchises to move from Missouri across the border.
In a released, Reed said the state should “match its economic ambitions with moral clarity—by investing directly in Missouri’s children and working families.”
“At a time when we’re considering investing nearly a billion dollars to retain a football [and baseball] team, I believe we must also ask ourselves what kind of state we want to be. If we have the resources to build stadiums, we have the resources to build stronger futures for Missouri’s kids,” said Reed, who represents the 83rd House District in St. Louis County.
“This legislation is about values. It’s about recognizing that every child in Missouri deserves a fair shot—regardless of their zip code, their family’s income, or the challenges they face.”
Through the bill that approved Kansas City funding, the St. Louis Cardinals could also reap financial benefit to improve Busch Stadium.
According to Reed’s office, the Missouri Child Tax Credit would provide direct payments to low-income and working-class families with children under the age of 18.
His proposal is modeled after the 2021 Biden-Harris expansion that lifted more than 3 million children out of poverty nationwide.
“The [Missouri] version of the tax credit would ensure that no child in Missouri goes to bed hungry, lacks a warm coat in the winter, or falls behind in school because their family can’t afford basic needs,” Reed said
“We have the data. We know this works. When the federal child tax credit was expanded during the pandemic, we saw one of the most significant and immediate drops in childhood poverty in our nation’s history.
“It didn’t just provide relief—it provided opportunity. It gave parents breathing room. It gave children stability. That is the kind of impact we should be fighting for.”
Reed added that the bill “isn’t just about alleviating poverty—it’s about unlocking potential.”
“If passed, House Bill 2 would position Missouri as a national leader in the fight to end childhood poverty at the state level.”