CORRECTION: State Employees to Receive 1% Pay Increase in State Budget

CORRECTION: An email sent out earlier this morning included an error regarding pay raises for State of Missouri employees as outlined in the budget recently passed by the Missouri General Assembly. The budget for Fiscal Year 2026, which begins July 1, 2025, includes a 1% cost-of-living pay increase for employees of state government agencies that already have a retention pay plan in place, including the Department of Corrections. Once the Governor has signed the budget bill into law, Missouri Department of Corrections staff can expect a 1% raise in the coming fiscal year.

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May 27, 2025

Hello, corrections team!

As we wrap up the legislative session, I want to share with you some budget highlights for the coming fiscal year, which begins July 1, 2025. Passed by both the House of Representatives and the Senate, the budget will go into effect when the bill is signed into law by Governor Mike Kehoe. It includes several important investments in our department. It is important to note that specific items in the budget are still subject to a sign/veto decision by the Governor. 

Staff Pay

Once signed into law, the FY26 budget will include:

• 1% cost-of-living pay increase for all state employees in agencies that already have retention pay. So far, since 2017, the State of Missouri has invested $199.3 million in pay increases for corrections staff, and that number will increase to $221.4 million with the raises included in the new budget. I'm grateful to Governor Kehoe and the Missouri state legislature for continuing to support our team.
• Extension of retention pay to all state agencies. The Department of Corrections already provides a 1% pay increase for every two years of service, up to 20 years, to members of our team. For corrections staff, the extension of this plan to all departments means that previous service in other state agencies could be factored into your retention pay amount.
• Stipends for staff working in maximum-security facilities. This stipend rewards and incentivizes staff working in Level 5 facilities, which are characterized by a higher rate of uses of force and an overall higher staff vacancy rate, leading to more mandatory overtime. The stipend would apply to Jefferson City Correctional Center, Crossroads Correctional Center, Fulton Reception & Diagnostic Center, Southeast Correctional Center, Potosi Correctional Center, Eastern Reception, Diagnostic & Correctional Center, Western Reception Diagnostic & Correctional Center and South Central Correctional Center.
• Stipends for staff working in restrictive-housing units. Offenders in restrictive housing have mental health concerns at a rate of 36%, commit 19% of physical assaults on staff and commit 52% of assaults with bodily fluids. The Governor and the General Assembly recognize the difficult and dangerous work that happens in these environments and seek to better compensate the people who do it.

We will share details about the pay plans and implementation of stipends as soon as we have them.

Safety Enhancements

The FY26 state budget also includes funding that would help the Department of Corrections better manage the offender population and protect the safety of our facilities, our staff and the public. The General Assembly has approved funding for:

• Expanded electronic monitoring services. Offenders on out-count for medical treatment, court dates or work release will wear electronic monitoring devices to help us better ensure public safety.
• Offender communications security services. Recent changes to Federal Communications Commission regulations that place restrictions on prison communication-services contracts have required us to procure additional funding in order to continue monitoring communications for safety and security. The General Assembly has approved that funding request.
• Offender management system. We're working to create a centralized electronic system for administration of case management, operations and other aspects of corrections to help streamline our processes and improve efficiency. This funding covers the first phase.
• New community supervision center. Last year, the General Assembly allocated funding for the department to create our seventh community supervision center (CSC) in Southeast Missouri. The coming year's budget includes funding for an eighth CSC to serve probation and parole clients in Vernon County, equipping the department to further reduce risk and recidivism.

We are grateful to Governor Kehoe and members of the Missouri General Assembly for their continued dedication to public safety and support for corrections staff. Our state leaders recognize the value of the important work you do to change lives and keep Missourians safe. Thank you for all you do, and please take care of each other.

Trevor Foley
Director