Tax credit programs encouraging giving for benevolent  purposes, or for adopting children with special needs get the first serious attention of the legislative session from the state senate.  They’re known as “benevolent tax credits.”  They encourage giving to food banks and  pregnancy resource centers, crisis care centers, and child advocacy efforts. They encourage adoptions of special needs children.  They help provide development disability care providers.

Springfield Senator Bob Dixon is pushing to restore them after the legislature failed to extend them last year.  “These are our constituents who are also helping our constituents,” he says.

All of the credit programs have to be renewed every six years if they are to continue.  Adoption tax credits have been charged to give greater breaks to parents who adopt in Missouri and to reduce credits for those adopting outside the state.

The Senate has changed another adoption section saying bigger credits cannot be given only because of the race of the child.

One more vote sends the bill to the House.

AUDIO: debate, part 1 57:23

AUDIO: debate part 2 58:46

AUDIO: debate 3 30:24