The Senate committee handling the workers’ compensation bill has approved the measure and sent it to the full Senate. It was a straight, 5-to-4, party line vote that sent the bill forward. Senator Sarah Steelman of Rolla, a Republican, was the swing vote. She had expressed concerns about the bill and it appeared as though she might vote against it. In the end, she supported it, with reservations. Steelman was asked whether she might have been pressured to vote with the Republican majority by a threat to remove her from the committee. She responded, “there may have been that suggestion.” But she failed to elaborate. The legislation, which has already passed the House, would restrict workers’ comp benefits to those hurt while performing their work duties.
