Sen. Doug Libla introduced SB623 proposing an increase in the tax from 17 to 22.9 cents per gallon starting Jan. 1, 2017 should voters approve the measure. Libla had previously introduced a bill seeking an increase of 1.5 cents per gallon on gas and 3.5 cents per gallon on diesel.
After being approved 21-10, the bill has been moved on to the Missouri House.
Missouri Gov. Jay Nixon prefers the previous bill introduced over the latest version, according to a report by Missourinet.
“If I was to order what we should get done, I think the original version of Senator Libla’s bill was something that would have made a short term but important step forward,” Nixon said in the report. “I thought especially with gas prices where they were and are, that would’ve been a doable.”