Opinion: Missouri’s missed opportunity in HB 19 – and why it still matters

Brandy Harris

When House Bill 19 was introduced, it carried the potential to be a transformational investment in Missouri’s future – an opportunity to directly support the children, families and communities that power this state. For organizations like the Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield, HB 19 represented the final piece in a decade-long effort to build something bold and lasting: a state-of-the-art Teen Center designed to lift up the next generation. And then, it disappeared.

In the final hours of this year’s legislative session, HB 19 – an appropriations bill with broad bipartisan support – was cut. The decision didn’t just eliminate funding. It erased hope. For us, it meant the loss of $1.5 million that would have completed a 32-month, $12 million capital campaign to serve over 1,000 teens annually in a community that desperately needs it.

And we weren’t the only ones. HB 19 included $8 million in funding for Boys & Girls Clubs across the state, earmarked for building upgrades, expansions and improvements in places like Columbia, St. Louis, Kansas City, Poplar Bluff and Jefferson City. It also included essential funding for other life-saving agencies addressing housing insecurity, food access, education, public safety and health services.

In one fell swoop, vital progress for dozens of agencies and thousands of families was paused or undone. This funding wasn’t just about bricks and mortar. It was about addressing the real consequences and struggles of generational poverty, workforce shortages and public safety challenges. It was about offering families safe, affordable places for their children to go after school. It was about reducing the waitlist of hundreds of kids in Springfield alone – children who are currently turned away because we simply do not have the space or resources to serve them.

Some may argue that HB 19’s failure was necessary to reduce spending – but that simply isn’t true. Missouri has a substantial budget surplus. In May 2025, The Missouri Independent reported the governor’s budget plan projected a $2.5 billion unencumbered general revenue surplus at the end of the current year. HB 19 would have allocated $513 million toward infrastructure and community capital projects – one-time investments that would have had long-term impact.

The projects outlined in HB 19 weren’t luxuries; they were strategic, shovel-ready and job-creating. The resources were already set aside. This wasn’t about fiscal responsibility. It was about political will. Some may also argue that it’s not the state’s job to pay for nonprofit projects. That organizations like BGCS should simply raise the money themselves – and we do. In Springfield, our community has already raised over $10.5 million for this Teen Center. We’ve engaged private donors, written grants and secured local and national support. But when a project’s impact aligns so clearly with the public good, when it improves outcomes in education, employment, public safety and mental health, I believe the state does have a role to play.

Government has a responsibility to invest in initiatives that move Missouri forward. When nonprofits fill critical gaps in service – when we keep kids safe, support working families and strengthen the workforce – partnership with the state shouldn’t be controversial; it should be expected.

This isn’t just a Springfield issue. HB 19 contained critical funding for projects across the state, projects that would have created jobs, bolstered the economy and given working families the support they need to thrive.

Missouri’s nonprofits are already doing more with less. Removing this lifeline didn’t just hurt programs. It hurt people. We know that when young people have access to mentors, opportunities and safe spaces, they are less likely to engage in risky behavior and more likely to graduate, go to college and enter the workforce. That’s not just good for them; it’s good for Missouri.

We also know that child care access is one of the top barriers preventing parents from reentering the workforce. Investing in youth infrastructure is a workforce solution. A crime prevention strategy. An economic development driver. The removal of HB 19 funding didn’t stop our mission, but it made it harder.

As our state’s leaders prepare to convene special sessions to discuss the future of the Royals and Chiefs stadiums, I urge them to also consider the future of Missouri’s children. We should be as passionate about building places for kids to learn, grow and thrive as we are about building places to watch professional sports.

I’m deeply thankful for the people who choose to run for office and serve our communities. It takes courage, sacrifice and commitment to something bigger than yourself. I try to lead with generous assumptions. Perhaps some legislators across the state didn’t fully realize just how much this decision would hurt the most vulnerable kids and families in their own districts. But now that the impact is clear, I hope they take this opportunity to reconsider.

There’s still time to change course, and I believe many of them have the heart to do it. If you believe our children deserve better, reach out to your legislators. Let them know that investments in youth, safety and opportunity are not optional – they’re essential.

Brandy Harris is the CEO of Boys & Girls Clubs of Springfield. She can be reached at bharris@bgclubspringfield.org.