House speakers in Kansas and Missouri are touting a bill that would lower taxes for Kansans who work in Missouri.

Missouri House Speaker Rod Jetton and Kansas House Speaker Melvin Neufeld said the bill is a critical step that will help the two states move forward with other collaborations.

Jetton and Melvin teamed up for a news conference Friday at the Greater Kansas City Chamber of Commerce.

They said the Missouri House bill is an effort to keep things neighborly between the states. They also say the measure will help the Kansas City area thrive in health and science projects that cross the state lines.

The Missouri House gave first-round approval to the bill this week.