The Missouri Alliance for Home Care, which represents vendors, said in a written statement that it would wait to weigh in once the language of the formal rule is published.

It won’t be easy for the Legislature to override the wage agreement, but it’s possible.

Under state law, the House and Senate would need to pass a resolution objecting to the wage plan. If Nixon vetoes the resolution, lawmakers could still reject the new wage range with a two-thirds vote. Republicans will hold two-thirds majorities in both chambers when their annual session convenes in January.

If the Legislature takes no action, the rule takes effect.

Looming over the entire process are federal Department of Labor regulations on home health aides that are set to take effect Jan. 1. Those rules could make attendants subject to overtime pay and other benefits, a development that the regulation’s opponents say could put a financial strain on vendors and the state.

Nixon’s administration did not answer emailed questions about how the federal regulations would affect the program and Nelson’s spokeswoman did not respond to requests for an interview. The federal government has already announced a six-month delay in enforcing the new regulations, although they will still take effect in January.

This report was prepared in collaboration with Kaiser Health News, an editorially independent program of the Kaiser Family Foundation.

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