The measure is similar to the one rejected by Missouri voters a few years ago -- except this latest version would not be subject to a statewide vote.

The governor has vowed he would veto the bill if it is passed. Earlier this year, the House approved legislation to allow firearms to be hidden in cars.

Holden said he was looking to withhold money from state programs, including life science grants, and tap into the state's Rainy Day Fund to come up with the needed money. The state constitution mandates that the budget, which ends June 30, must be balanced.

Officials had predicted that tax revenues would fall, but the extent of that decline is worse than originally predicted, Holden said.

The measure now goes to the House for consideration.

The first bill changes some tax regulations to bring in an estimated $50 million of additional revenue. The second would sell a portion of the state's tobacco settlement to raise between $50 million and $100 million.

St. Louis Senator Chuck Gross and Representative Joan Barry both support the bill, which they say would enable officers to access social services unavailable in the city.

The bill sponsored by Rep. Mark Wright (R-Springfield), increases the minimum sentence for rape from five to 10 years and 15 years if there is serious physical injury or a deadly weapon involved.

One amendment to the bill allows law enforcement to collect saliva samples from anyone arrested for a felony violation.

Senators debated two proposals that would raise nearly $120 million in additional revenue to avoid further budget cuts. However, the proposals were stalled by senators who proposed amendments to the bills.

Senate leaders hoped to approve the measures, which they said would give them room to negotiate a settlement with the House members.

They said their goal was to prevent the institution of quick-draw lotto games and to keep the state's loss limit intact. Some lawmakers are looking at a plan to get rid of the loss limit to raise more revenue for the state.

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Twelve of 34 Missouri senators will be saying goodbye to the chambers and leaving vacancies for the entering class.

Term limits prevent legislators from serving more than eight years.

The Senate will vote on the resolution on Thursday.

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But the upper chamber decided to start it's process by looking at mortgaging some of the state's tobacco settlement funds to come up with some quick cash for next fiscal year's budget.

The proposal before the Senate would give the administration authority to sell up to $1 billion the state expects to get in tobacco settlement payments over the next several decades for immediate cash to help balance next year's budget.

Current Missouri law limits tracks to one day of simulcast racing for each day of live racing. The House has passed a bill that would lift that limit, while a Senate committee heard testimony on Monday from Cella and the bill's sponsor, Rep. Wayne Crump, D-Potosi.

The scholarship is awarded to Missouri's brightest students.

If approved, the cuts will add $1.6 million to the higher education budget.