MCC Reviews 2005 Legislative Session

MAY 19, 2005, JEFFERSON CITY, MO – In a legislative session dominated by lawmakers claiming pro-life positions, no pro-life bills were passed. The 2005 General Assembly took the anticipated strong pro-business route but regrettably left the most vulnerable individuals such as unborn children, the elderly, disabled and the poor behind.

The last days of the session saw two strong, comprehensive pro-life bills fall apart when the Stowers Institute for Medical Research of Kansas City objected to language in SB 2 which they perceived as impeding their efforts to conduct embryonic stem cell research. The governor insisted that SB 2 be striped down of all significant language to satisfy the biotech industry. As a result neither SB 2 or its companion bill HB 100 were passed on the last day of session. "If legislative leadership is looking for abortion legislation that is going to make everyone happy, including certain business interests, that’s not going to happen," said Deacon Larry Weber, Executive Director of the Missouri Catholic Conference. Weber said, “People voted for the overwhelming majority of these legislators on the basis that they are at least allegedly pro-life.”

The governor and some legislators have blamed the pro-life community in numerous newspaper reports for failure of the two bills to pass. “The Missouri Catholic Conference, Missouri Right to Life and Campaign Life all stood firmly in favor of SB 2 and HB 100 as they originally passed in each chamber,” stated Weber. He said, “To blame anyone in the pro-life community for the dismantling and destruction of SB 2 and HB100 in order to appease the Stowers Institute and biotech industry is absurd. True pro-life legislators should be able to deal with these issues on a comprehensive basis.”

SB 2, which passed the Senate 26-6, was stripped of the following Senate-passed provisions before it was debated on the House floor:

• Prohibiting state funds from being used to subsidize abortion providers like Planned Parenthood.



• Requiring physicians who perform abortions to have clinical privileges at a hospital within thirty miles of where the abortion is performed.



• Making abortion providers subject to licensure as an “ambulatory surgical center” if the abortion provider performs five or more first-trimester abortions in a month, or performs any second or third-trimester abortions. This would have made abortion clinics subject to state inspection by the Department of Health and Senior Services.



• Prohibiting abortion providers from furnishing sex education services and materials to public schools.



• Providing state tax credits for those who donate to agencies such as Birthright that provide counseling and alternatives to abortion services.



• Establishing a state Respect Life Commission to oversee the program that would have made suggestions to state policy makers to ensure that Missouri protects all human life.



• Allowing the state to sell “Respect Life” license plates. Proceeds from the sales of such plates would have been expended for alternatives to abortion programs and services.

Rep. Belinda Harris (D-Hillsboro), chair of the House Pro-Life Democratic Caucus, stated in a letter to The Catholic Missourian, “This was totally unnecessary to lose a bill (SB 2) that was so close in passing.”

The governor has called for a special session this fall to work on passing a pro-life bill. Weber said, “Pro-life Missourians need to contact the governor and legislature during the summer break and tell them to pass a comprehensive anti-abortion bill similar or identical to SB 2 as passed in the Senate. Otherwise they are wasting taxpayer’s dollars with this special session.”

Another important pro-life bill that died on the Senate floor was SB 160, sponsored by Sen. Matt Bartle (R-Lee’s Summit), which would have banned all human cloning in Missouri. SB 160 faced intense opposition from the Stowers Institute in Kansas City, Washington University in St. Louis, Kansas City Chamber of Commerce (GKCCC) and the St. Louis Regional Chamber and Growth Association (RCGA). The Stowers Institute, Washington University in St. Louis, the GKCCC and the St. Louis RCGA joined with groups such as the Missouri Religious Coalition for Reproductive Choice and Axion Research Foundation under the name of The Missouri Coalition for Lifesaving Cures, to oppose enactment of a cloning ban. The Missouri Coalition for Reproductive Choice has opposed, since 1982, enactment of legislation regulating, restricting or in any way, limiting abortion in Missouri. The Axion Research Foundation has previously opposed restrictions on research using tissue from aborted babies.

“Catholics need to know that business groups representing them in the State Capitol are opposing a cloning ban. Some long-standing business groups now support unethical human cloning and scientific research,” stated Weber. He said, “It is extremely disturbing that our governor and legislators support the creation of human life for the sole purpose of destroying that life for medical research. We will continue to fight for pro-life legislation in the next session.”

The Missouri House of Representatives shelved consideration of legislation that would give school children in failing public school districts the option to attend private schools. Representative Jane Cunningham (R-Chesterfield) put HB 639 aside after lawmakers adopted amendments the bill’s proponents, including the Missouri Catholic Conference, considered hostile to the bill’s purpose.

HB 639 offered state tax credits to businesses and individuals who made charitable donations to private charities. The charities would use the donations to provide scholarships to needy students. The scholarships could be used to attend private schools, including Catholic schools. The scholarships would be offered in public school districts designated by the state of Missouri as failing students’ needs.

Mike Hoey, the assistant director of the Missouri Catholic Conference, said HB 639 would have offered new educational opportunity for school families. Hoey said, “This bill offered the children from less wealthy families a ticket out of poverty by providing options to attend quality schools.”

Medicaid and other services provided for the poor and disabled saw significant funding cuts. The Missouri General Assembly approved a $19.2 billion state budget for fiscal year 2006. State general revenue comprises about 40% of the budget with the remaining funds coming from the federal government and other sources. Most areas of state government experienced funding cuts, except for K-12 public schools, which received an increase in state aid of $113 million.

Funding for the state Alternatives to Abortion program remains the same as last year with a total of $1.33 million dollars with $570,000 coming from the general revenue and $760,000 coming from federal funds.

Funding for the state habilitation centers that provide care to people with severe mental disabilities remains similar to last year’s level. The Bellefontaine Habilitation Center in north St. Louis is funded at about last year’s level - $22 million in state general revenue and $1.8 million in federal funds. However, the governor seeks to gradually move patients out of Bellefontaine and close the center down. Exactly when this process may begin is unclear, but it could commence in fiscal year 2007, if the legislature cuts the center’s funding in that budget.