A little more than a week remains in the legislative session and it appears as though a bill that few thought had a chance of passing might get to the finish line after all.
It’s SB 1021 , a bill to legalize the practice of midwifery in Missouri. Senator John Loudon (R-Chesterfield) has championed this cause in the past and has been blocked by Senator Chuck Graham (D-Columbia) who has filibustered the effort. Now, a deal of sorts has been reached in which Graham allows Loudon’s midwifery bill to get an up or down vote in exchange for Loudon allowing one of Graham’s bills to get voted on – SB 1099 – a bill to designate a portion of a highway in Boone County as Carl Edwards Drive in honor of the NASCAR driver from Columbia.
Loudon says you can never tell what kinds of deals will be reached in the final days of the session. Both the midwifery bill and the Carl Edwards bill have received preliminary approval and are expected to get final approval Thursday. Both would then be sent to the House. Loudon says if all goes as planned his midwifery bill would clear the General Assembly on Friday, May 16th – the final day of the session.
Download/Listen: Steve Walsh report (:60 MP3)
