Tishaura Jones: Productive Session Despite The Odds

Several health care measures Jones sponsored await governor’s signature

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. – The General Assembly has granted final approval to legislation sponsored by Assistant House Minority Leader Tishaura Jones, D-St. Louis, that is estimated to raise between $30,000 and $35,000 a year for the Breast Cancer Awareness Fund through the sale of a specialty Missouri license plate. Jones added the cancer awareness provision as an amendment to a larger bill on transportation issues, House Bill 430.

Under Jones’ provision, vehicle owners could obtain special Breast Cancer Awareness license plates for an additional $25 on top of regular vehicle license and registration fees. The proceeds from the plates would be used to provide breast and cervical cancer screenings for low-income women ages 40-49 through the Show Me Healthy Women Program as administered by the Missouri Department of Health.

“Breast and cervical cancer has impacted thousands of Missouri families and raising awareness is vital to prevention and early detection,” Jones said. “This legislation will allow Missourians to provide needed support for breast and cervical cancer awareness efforts.”

Misty Snodgrass of the American Cancer Society of Missouri said: "We applaud Rep. Jones efforts and leadership to ensure that the funds received from the breast cancer awareness plates will go towards life-saving cancer screenings."

On the last day of the 2011 legislative session, the General Assembly granted final approval to extending the Missouri Rx Plan, which was scheduled to expire on Aug. 28. About 226,000 low-income senior citizens and disabled Missourians would have lost their prescription drug benefits without passage of the renewal legislation. House Bill 412 will extend the Missouri Rx program until Aug. 28, 2014. Jones sponsored a version of the extension legislation.

“Saving the Missouri Rx Plan was among the top tasks facing the General Assembly this year,” Jones said. “I’m pleased we were finally able to get this accomplished and protect prescription drug benefits for nearly a quarter-million Missourians.”

Last but not least, Jones sponsored legislation, House Bill 197, to increase awareness of Umbilical Cord Blood donation by having the Department of Health place information on its website and encouraging physicians to give information about the options of public and private donation to their pregnant patients in their third trimester.

“I donated my son’s cord blood, and it gives me a sense of security knowing that it’s there if he should ever need it,” Jones said. “Also, it’s important that more women and families know of the life-saving benefits of cord blood storage and donation.”

All three bills are awaiting the governor’s signature to become law.