Fragile Coalition Breaks Apart, Tobacco Legislation Fails

A fragile coalition breaks apart and an attempt to move a tobacco trust fund bill without abortion language fails in a late night House session. House Republicans have voted against tobacco settlement legislation in protest over how Democrats handled debate. Yet Representative Catherine Hanaway of Warson Woods pledges to support the latest attempt to send the Senate a trust fund bill, until she thinks about it. Hanaway then tells the sponsor this is a trick to approve language the governor wants. A handful of Democrats join Republicans in asking what happened to an agreement to include language prohibiting any of the billions coming the state’s way to be given to agencies that provide abortions. One of them, Representative David Reynolds of Florrisant, confronts the bill’s sponsor, asking him if the 30 to 40 Catholic Democrats who agree to back off of abortion language are being ignored now. Sponsor Tim Van Zandt of Kansas City tries to retain his votes by saying his bill merely creates a separate account for the tobacco money. But he loses on a lopsided vote: 91 against, 61 in favor. The House adjourned after the vote.