The latest local news, weather and high school sports in and around Columbia and Jefferson City

Here's the warning from the Missouri Department of Revenue: The longer you wait to file your taxes, the longer you'll have to wait to get your refund. In January and early February, the state was processing refunds in as little as four days. But as April 15 arrives, so do the challenges.

That's how it usually works, according to Ted Farnen with the Department of Revenue, who says this year is bringing its fair share of obstacles.

Ted Farnen, Director of Communications for the Department of Revenue said, "We’re being confronted with some of the most challenging budget times in many generations, possibly ever in the state of Missouri, in some senses."

The average wait time is now closer to three to four weeks to get a refund. Farnen blames the wait on two things. First the sheer amount of returns for workers to process. Second, the lack of money in the state's coffers.

Farnen said, "The department is issuing the refunds as quickly as possible with the resources that are available to us. Money comes in to the state at a certain rate and then we have to issue the refunds at a certain rate as well."      

Right now the department can legally take up to 120 days after April 15 to re-pay Missourians without paying them interest. But a newly proposed piece of legislation would change that and make the show me state's limit the same as the federal one.

Representative Jason Smith of District 150 said, "It requires the state to return your income tax return within 45 days or the state has to pay interest on your money."

Smith says his bill would make sure a repeat of last year wouldn't happen.

Smith said, "The refunds have to be returned within 45 days or it's going to cost the state more money, so they're going to return them within 45 days."

That legislation passed the house with a 150 to zero vote. It's now waiting to be brought up at senate committee.