End of Filibuster on $4B Missouri Medicaid Bill.
The Missouri Senate was embroiled in a dayslong filibuster that finally came to an end on Thursday when a Republican faction relented and allowed a vote on a more than $4 billion Medicaid program that had been held hostage.
After stalling the Senate floor for two consecutive nights by reading books about former President Ronald Reagan and meticulously going through the proposed state budget line by line, members of the Freedom Caucus, a GOP faction, finally allowed progress to be made with an initial approval in a voice vote to a bill renewing a longstanding tax on hospitals and other medical providers.
This tax, once renewed, enables the state to draw down $2.9 billion in federal funding, which is crucial for providing care to low-income residents through the Medicaid health care system.
The Freedom Caucus had been using the renewal of this tax as leverage to push Senate Republican leaders to pass a bill that would exclude Planned Parenthood from the state’s Medicaid program, a goal that was achieved last month with the passage of the bill in the chamber.
This victory in the Senate was met with further demands from the Freedom Caucus on Tuesday, as they pushed for additional measures including the signing of the Planned Parenthood defunding bill by Governor Mike Parson and the passing of a proposed constitutional amendment aimed at raising the bar for future amendments.
The proposed constitutional amendment is seen as an effort to make it more challenging for voters to pass a pending abortion rights amendment in the upcoming fall elections. Republican lawmakers have expressed that increasing the threshold for amending the constitution is a priority for them.
After negotiating with Senate Democrats to remove election-related language that House Republicans sought, GOP senators were able to push through the proposal on constitutional amendments.
Senate Majority Lear Cindy O’Laughlin took to social media to announce plans to bring the measure on constitutional amendments up for debate on May 6, marking a significant step forward in the ongoing legislative battles.
Following the resolution of the filibuster, both the Freedom Caucus and Republican Senate leaders claimed victory in the standoff. The Freedom Caucus boasted of forming a coalition with 18 senators, enough to force a vote without the support of Democrats, in favor of passing the constitutional amendment.
On the other hand, Senate Republicans viewed the advancement of the hospital tax renewal as a defeat for the Freedom Caucus, emphasizing the importance of upholding their duty to govern the state.
Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Lincoln Hough highlighted the unity within the majority party, stating, “What you saw today was the majority of the majority party all sticking together saying we know we have a duty to govern in this state, and we’re going to do whatever we need to do that.”
This lengthy filibuster in the Missouri Senate was a rare occurrence, with the last similar instance dating back to 2016 when Democrats protested proposed protections for those citing their faith in denying services to same-sex weddings.
Ultimately, with the conclusion of the filibuster and the passage of crucial legislation, the Missouri Senate is set to move forward with a renewed focus on serving the needs of its residents and shaping the legislative landscape for the future.
