Today could be the last day of special session, with the China Hub bill being left on the desks of lawmakers until January.
House Floor Leader Tim Jones says there were provisions in the bill the House leadership could just not accept, and the Senate could not let go of. Jones says some backdoor deals led to this session falling apart. He says he thinks the deal the Senate and House worked out in July fell apart after Governor Nixon went to some Senate members and worked out a new deal.
Last night, the House Economic Development Committee adjourned after passing MOSIRA on to the House floor, with the caveat that “unethical research” not be included in the funding, ie, stem cell research or human cloning. The committee chair, Ann Zerr says the Committee won’t even consider a bill that wouldn’t pass the Senate or move past the Governor’s desk.
Jones says today, the House will take up MOSIRA, a bill to support science and technology jobs, and the Facebook Fix, a bill amending the student/teacher online communication law. If the House and Senate leadership can come up with a compromise in the eleventh hour, Jones says there is a possibility session could continue next week. But even if it does get enough votes, Jones says the House may not have enough members willing to vote on it for it to pass.
 (AUDIO) Allison Blood reports. Mp3 1:01
