Life Sciences Bill Moves Forward In House

Life science research at both public and private institutions in Missouri will get a $40-Million a year boost – eventually – under a bill moving forward in the House. Speaker Catherine Hanaway of Warson Woods sponsors the measure that would dedicate 25-percent of the money coming to Missouri from the national tobacco settlement to life science research. There is one problem. The Legislature has been using the money from the tobacco settlement to prop up the state budget. Hanaway’s bill calls for the money to start flowing to research by 2007. She says the economy should be stable enough by then to help the legislature kick the habit of relying on tobacco money for general revenue purposes.