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$3.5 billion could go away Friday if Missouri Senate doesn't pass medical funding bill

Senate Communications

Missouri Senate leaders are hoping to find a way to pass a critical medical funding bill, despite the chamber being all but shut down.

Senate Bill 210 is a routine piece of legislation that would authorize receipt of more than $3.5 billion in federal funds for hospitals and Medicaid programs, known as the Federal Reimbursement Allowance, or FRA.  It's not moving forward because Senate Democrats are blocking anything and everything in retaliation for the Republicans forcing a vote Tuesday on the right-to-work bill.

Joseph Keavenyof St. Louis is the Democratic Floor Leader in the Senate.

Credit Senate Communications

"This is about a functioning Senate, and this is the conversation that (Republican Floor Leader Ron) Richard and I aregoing tohave,"Keaveny told reporters.  "I'm more than willing to give him back a functioning Senate, but we have to come to an understanding how we'regoing tomove forward."

Keaveny says his asking price is a return to "fair and balanced debate" in the Senate. If the medical funding bill isn't passed, Gov. Jay Nixon would have to call a special session for Missouri to get the money.

Sen. Kurt Schaefer, R-Columbia, accuses Senate Democrats of holding the bill hostage.

"Ifwe are actually called into a special session, which costs about $100,000 per week, to pass a bill that everyone knows fully well isgoing topass in the first five minutes if it gets up on this floor, I think that is inexcusable," Schaefer said.  "We would be very hard-pressed to explain that to taxpayers."

If Democrats force a special session, Schaefer hinted that he would explore making "serious and long-term changes" in Missouri's Medicaid system, i.e., cuts.

"The bill will have to start over," Schaefer said, "and I (will) look forward to a summer-long discussion and many appropriations hearings of digging down deep into the Federal Reimbursement Allowance, how the Medicaid program works, and maybe making some serious changes that we really haven't had the political will to make."

Keaveny serves on the oversight committee for the state's Medicaid system, which is known as MoHealthNet.  He says he's unaware of any inefficiencies.

"I'm not going to defend an inefficient Medicaid system," Keaveny said.  "If we need to take a look at the Medicaid system, I think both sides ought to take a good look at it and see how we're going to proceed."

Keaveny also said that if Senate Republicans want to pass SB 210, they can always use the PQ motion and cut off debate again, like they did with the right-to-work bill.  But Richard told reporters Thursday that he has no intention of using the so-called nuclear option twice in one week.

The PQ motion, or "moving the previous question," is a rule that cuts off debate, including filibusters, and forces the chamber to vote on whatever bill or motion is being held up.  While the previous question is used regularly in the Missouri House, it's rarely used in the Senate and is considered an extreme measure that risks the Senate's tradition of allowing lengthy discussions on issues.

Richard and Keaveny were tentatively planning to meet and discuss a possible truce that would allow the medical funding bill to be brought up for a vote on Friday, which is the final day of the 2015 legislative session.

Follow Marshall Griffin on Twitter:  @MarshallGReport

Copyright 2021 St. Louis Public Radio. To see more, visit St. Louis Public Radio.

Missouri Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a proud alumnus of the University of Mississippi (a.k.a., Ole Miss), and has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off the old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Mason, and their cat, Honey.
Marshall Griffin
St. Louis Public Radio State House Reporter Marshall Griffin is a native of Mississippi and proud alumnus of Ole Miss (welcome to the SEC, Mizzou!). He has been in radio for over 20 years, starting out as a deejay. His big break in news came when the first President Bush ordered the invasion of Panama in 1989. Marshall was working the graveyard shift at a rock station, and began ripping news bulletins off an old AP teletype and reading updates between songs. From there on, his radio career turned toward news reporting and anchoring. In 1999, he became the capital bureau chief for Florida's Radio Networks, and in 2003 he became News Director at WFSU-FM/Florida Public Radio. During his time in Tallahassee he covered seven legislative sessions, Governor Jeb Bush's administration, four hurricanes, the Terri Schiavo saga, and the 2000 presidential recount. Before coming to Missouri, he enjoyed a brief stint in the Blue Ridge Mountains, reporting and anchoring for WWNC-AM in Asheville, North Carolina. Marshall lives in Jefferson City with his wife, Julie, their dogs, Max and Liberty Belle, and their cat, Honey.