Washington, D.C. – The Club for Growth Foundation has released its 2025 State Economic Scorecard for Missouri, offering citizens of the Show-Me State insights into how representatives in Jefferson City view economic policies. Center Square’s Andrew Rice covered the release in an exclusive report.
The Scorecard analyzes policies and votes to assign an Economic Growth Score from 0 to 100, with 100 representing the highest support for pro-growth policies. In 2025, the Foundation reviewed over 550 floor votes, scoring 15 votes in the Missouri House and 13 in the Missouri Senate.
“The Club for Growth Foundation’s State Scorecard series aims to provide transparency for citizens, both in Missouri and across the country, into how elected officials approach the legislation that impacts their everyday lives,” said Club for Growth Foundation President David McIntosh. “While lawmakers in Missouri passed meaningful legislation that eliminates capital gains taxes, begins to phase out state income taxes, and removes red tape for employers, there is still much to be done in Jefferson City. Expanding Medicaid programs by 11.9% will drive up healthcare costs; new welfare programs for childcare will pass costs down to consumers; and the Show Me Sports Investment program subsidizes billionaires with taxpayer funds. Lawmakers must reexamine their priorities to ensure Missouri can compete with neighboring states and create an economic climate that allows future generations of Missourians to prosper.”
Click here to read the full Missouri State Economic Scorecard from the Club for Growth Foundation.
Click here to read the full coverage from Center Square.
Key Highlights from the 2025 Missouri Scorecard:
Missouri Senate:
- Average Republican Score: 63%
- Average Democrat Score: 28%
- Highest Rated Republican(s): Sen. Ben Brown (SD-26), Sen. Adam Schnelting (SD-23), and Sen. Nick Schroer (SD-02): 92%
- Highest Rated Democrat(s): Sen. Tracy McCreery (SD-24), Sen. Stephen Webber (SD-19), and Sen. Brian Williams (SD-14): 38%
- Lowest Rated Republican(s): Sen. Lincoln Hough (SD-30): 29%
- Lowest Rated Democrat(s): Sen. Patty Lewis (SD-07), Sen. Maggie Nurrenbern (SD-17), and Sen. Steven Roberts (SD-05): 20%
Missouri House:
- Average Republican Score: 57%
- Average Democratic Score: 5%
- Highest Rated Republican(s): Rep. Ben Keathley (HD-101), Rep. Mike McGirl (HD-118), Rep. Justin Sparks (HD-110), Rep. Bob Titus (HD-139), and Rep. Richard West (HD-102): 100%
- Highest Rated Democrats(s): Rep. David Smith (HD-46): 17%
- Lowest Rated Republican(s): Rep. Terry Thompson (HD-53): 29%
- Lowest Rated Democrats(s): Multiple Representatives scored 0%
Notable Pro-Growth Legislation:
HB 594 – CAPITAL GAINS TAX ELIMINATION
- Permits individuals subject to Missouri’s income tax to deduct 100 percent of capital gains for federal income tax purposes beginning January 1, 2025
- Institutes a trigger for businesses stipulating that so long as the state’s top income tax rate remains at 4.5 percent or lower, entities may also deduct 100 percent of capital gains the following year
- The capital gains exemption will reduce the individual tax burden by $485 million through FY2030
HB 567 – ELIMINATING ONEROUS EMPLOYER MANDATES
- The legislation fully repeals the sick leave mandate and ends the requirement for future minimum wage hikes
HB 798 – SIGNIFICANT INCOME TAX REDUCTION
- Lowers the individual income tax rate to 4.7 percent beginning January 1, 2026, and authorizes a gradual phase down over the next 10 years to 3.5 percent, assuming specific revenue metrics are met
- Lowers the corporate income tax rate from 4 percent to 3.75 percent
- Provides for a flat $4,000 increase for the existing standard deduction
- Repeals the state’s earned income tax credit welfare match
- The individual income tax reductions will provide some $6.34 billion in relief for hardworking families over the next 10 years, along with at least $135 million in reduced tax burdens on Missouri businesses through 2028 from the reduced corporate rate
Notable Anti-Growth Legislation:
HB 11 – MASSIVE MEDICAID APPROPRIATIONS PACKAGE
- Appropriates $17 billion to the Department of Social Services in the Missouri FY2026 state budget
- Overall state General Fund spending for the department decreased by 5.8 percent, but federal spending increased by a whopping 17.6 percent year-over-year, resulting in an overall 11.9 percent increase from FY2025 spending levels
HB 269 – MASSIVE CHILDCARE WELFARE EXPANSION
- The legislation authorizes the Child Care Contribution Tax Credit equal to $200,000 per year per taxpayer for contributing to qualified providers, an employer-provided Child Care Assistance Tax Credit, and a Child Care Providers Tax Credit in a massive $70 million per year distortionary tax scheme that creates a new permanent state welfare program
- Participating employers could pass on the costs of covering this new benefit to consumers and customers with commensurate employee wage reductions
SB 3 – CRONY SPORTS TAX CREDIT HANDOUT
- The legislation extends the existing refundable credit from $5 per ticket sold to $6 per ticket sold and from $10 per registered individual to $12 per registered individual
- The bill doubles the existing spending cap on the program from $3 million to $6 million
- Earmarks $5.5 million in taxpayer-funded handouts to recipients in Kansas City and St. Louis, and extends the program through 2032
- The bill creates the “Show Me Sports Investment” program, which could result in $50 million in special interest tax credits for the development of a new or renovated sports complex for the Kansas City Chiefs, Kansas City Royals, or St. Louis Cardinals
Note: This Scorecard is based on selected votes and does not reflect a legislator’s entire voting record. The Club for Growth Foundation does not endorse or oppose any legislator for public office.