Missouri’s midwives are losing their best friend in the legislature.

Senator John Loudon has pushed state licensing of midwives for several years. Last year he angered his fellow senators by sneaking the provision into another bill that was passed and signed by the Governor. It eventually ran afoul of the courts. The stealth move so angered Senate leaders that they took away his committee chairmanship, restoring  it only after he apologized to the Senate. He tried to put midwife language on several bills this year and even got his most vocal opponent in the Senate to back away. But at the end, he still did not get it done. And he won’t have another change because the term limit law prohibits his constituents from having a chance to send him back for another term. But he expects to stay involved. He might have a surrogate in the Senate to carry on in his absence. His wife is running to take his place.

 

Download Bob Priddy’s story (:61 mp3)