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Although the day’s agenda called for routine bill introduction work, it also gave senators a forum to air grievances and make their demands for what they want to see transpire in the coming weeks.

Senate Minority Leader Doug Beck, a St. Louis County Democrat, said the stadium funding package sought by Gov. Mike Kehoe does not provide enough money for tornado relief and other projects, including funding for cancer research.

Beck told reporters he won’t consider stadium subsidies until those items are tackled by lawmakers.

“Until that happens, and it’s through the House and on the governor’s desk, then we can talk,� Beck said. “We need to focus on the tornado victims in St. Louis. That needs to be taken care of.�

Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville, who leads the conservative Freedom Caucus, signaled he doesn’t favor using taxpayer dollars for the stadium project by introducing legislation that would finance new stadiums with donations. Anyone who contributes $10,000 or more would get free parking on game day.

“This is another option,� said Brattin.

The early positioning among senators came as Kehoe called lawmakers back to the Capitol for a special summer session to approve tax subsidies for the Chiefs and Royals, as well as provide $25 million in funding for disaster relief in the St. Louis region still picking up after a devastating May 16 tornado.

Kehoe also wants $200 million for a select number of construction projects that failed to win approval during the Legislature’s tumultuous regular session, which ended May 15.

The work is starting in the Senate where partisan divisions and Republican disagreements are expected to dominate the deliberations.

That leaves House members waiting at home for any signs of progress. A tentative schedule shows the House could return to the Capitol June 9. Lawmakers have 60 days to work out a plan, but leaders are hopeful a deal can be struck sooner.

The need for speed is being driven by an offer from Kansas, which earlier approved a sales tax subsidy program that would finance 70% of the stadium costs for the Chiefs and Royals if they move across the border. The Kansas package expires at the end of June.

Under the Republican governor’s plan, Missouri would pay up to half the cost of a new Royals stadium and for renovations to Arrowhead for the Chiefs. The money would cover annual bond payments for the projects up to the amount the teams generated in state tax revenue the year before applying for the incentives.

The Chiefs and Royals currently play in neighboring stadiums at a complex on the east side of Kansas City. The leases on the stadiums run until 2031. The Royals say the team won’t play at Kauffman Stadium beyond the 2030 season.

Kehoe says the teams drive “billions of dollars in economic activity and tourism� to the state, arguing that the cost to keep the teams would be less than what Missouri stands to lose if either team leaves the state. He claims the economic activity associated with the Chiefs supports 4,500 jobs, while a new stadium for the Royals would generate about 8,400 jobs.

An $840 million subsidy plan cleared the Missouri House in mid-May but ran aground in the final days of the legislative session, despite Republicans holding a 24-10 majority in the upper chamber.

Cardinals watching stadium bill

The Cardinals also could have qualified for state support under the proposal that died. Last year, Cardinals President Bill Dewitt III said the team could seek taxpayer support for hundreds of millions of dollars in needed upgrades for the 19-year-old Busch stadium.

DeWitt told the Post-Dispatch on Monday he likely will not comment on the possible state program until the team sees what the final bill looks like.

The governor also wants lawmakers to approve a $5,000 income tax deduction to help offset the cost of insurance policy deductibles for people affected by the May 16 tornado and $25 million to expand eligibility for a state emergency housing assistance program for people living in areas covered by state requests for presidential disaster declarations.

Also on the agenda is $25 million to help University of Missouri pay for a research nuclear reactor. Lawmakers failed to approve a budget bill that would have given the university $50 million for the project.

The governor’s package also would include funding for a 200-bed mental health facility in Kansas City and new livestock barns at the Missouri State Fairgrounds.

Republicans will need help from Democrats to get the spending package over the finish line. But Democrats remain angry after Republicans ended the regular session by using a rare procedural move to try and repeal and initiatives.

Sen. Steven Webber, D-Columbia, still smarting from the end-of-session decisions, introduced a proposal that would spend $75 million on the reactor in his hometown. He also is sponsoring a measure that would raise taxes on anyone earning over $1 million to help pay for disaster relief.

The Senate reconvenes Tuesday morning and will hold at least one hearing on legislation.

Jack Suntrup of the Post-Dispatch contributed to this report.