Sater: Health, Agriculture Measures Advance, School Vouchers Bill Returns

Greetings from the State Capitol. We are getting busier as the session proceeds. Bills are being passed out of committee and coming to the floor for debate. My Health Care Policy Committee is hearing bills weekly and some bills have been voted out and sent back to the Speaker. He will determine whether or not they will be debated on the House floor.

Since I have been in the health care business for many years, and am the committee chairman I am able to process some of my own legislation through the committee. One of the bills I am excited about is the Medical Volunteer Service Act (HB 29.) We have many health care professionals who are more than willing to give of their time and services for no compensation to benefit mankind. Unfortunately, now the provider has to purchase liability insurance before they can donate their services. This piece of legislation would protect the provider from lawsuits unless there was gross negligence or willful misconduct. I believe that if this bill is passed it would increase provider participation and benefit people who cannot afford healthcare services. My only problem is the trial attorneys who will fight this, but the bill passed out of the committee without any opposition.

We also passed out of the Health Care Policy Committee a late term abortion bill [HB213] that would prohibit any abortion for a pregnancy that is over 20 weeks. Additionally we passed a bill that I sponsored to create a dental “carve out” for Medicaid. This would enable the Department of Social Services to increase dental services, but does not increase appropriations. Another interesting bill was a health care compact with other states. If given permission from the US Congress, Missouri could form a pact with other states to develop our own health care system and not be tied to the Federal Healthcare Bill which was passed this past year. We believe our state may have different healthcare priorities versus the federal government’s “one size fits” all application for all states.

During floor debate this week we heard a bill [HB209] that would limit nuisance lawsuits against our family farms. Unfortunately, greedy out of state plaintiff attorneys are targeting Missouri’s farmers and ranchers in an attempt to shut down the animal agriculture industry in the state. Missouri’s laws, unlike all the agriculture states surrounding us, provide very little protection to our small farmers and ranchers. These lawyers, not only sue farms in Missouri, but also are suing on behalf of the HSUS in California to shut down producers there. Unless corrected, this could cost thousands of jobs and may destroy the animal agriculture industry in Missouri.

We have another school voucher bill [HB393] again this year. This has been going on for many years, mainly sponsored by some big money from Kansas City and St. Louis. While it may sound reasonable, this would kill our smaller schools, because the money would follow the student, and this would financially hurt the smaller schools and possibly close them. I will do what I can to defeat this bill again.

I have received several E-mails from area public school teachers on altering the PSRS retirement system. They are understandably concerned about the retirement they have earned and for future retired teachers. I will make sure that our retired teachers are not in any danger of losing any of their defined contributions.

I look forward to hearing any of your concerns or comments and will respond to each of you.