Five bills were introduced to the Missouri Senate in the first day of the special legislative session that started Wednesday, two of which propose a clean renewal of the Federal Reimbursement Allowance, indicating some common ground among Republicans and Democrats.
Gov. Mike Parson yesterday called lawmakers back to Jefferson City to pass a renewal of the FRA, a tax on health care providers that funds Missouri's Medicaid budget. The Senate failed to pass the FRA renewal during the regular session after amendments to restrict the use of Medicaid dollars for contraceptive medicine or devices and remove Planned Parenthood from the list of Medicaid providers were added.
Without the extension, Missouri will be looking to close a $1.4 billion funding gap over the next two years.
In addition to the two clean FRA bills, senators proposed legislation extending the FRA while also excluding "abortifacient drugs or devices" from MO HealthNet coverage and preventing state funding for Planned Parenthood. An additional piece of legislation proposes the same restrictions on contraceptives and Planned Parenthood as a standalone bill.
The final bill would prevent critical race theory from being taught in schools.
Senate Majority Caucus Chairman Dan Hegeman, R-Andrew County, proposed the first three bills an FRA extension with the additional provisions, the standalone pro-life bill, and a clean FRA extension reflecting different positions within the Republican Party.
The introduction of three bills surprised Sen. Bob Onder, R-Lake St. Louis, and Sen. Paul Wieland, R-Jefferson County, who proposed the amendments to the original bill during the regular session.
Hegeman said the three bills simply give the Senate options to discuss, but he is comfortable moving forward with the bill combining the FRA renewal with pro-life language.
Senate President Pro Tem Dave Schatz, R-Franklin County, said the three bills would likely go to the same committee and that they are vehicles to accomplish the same set of goals.
"We just want to make sure that there's potentially enough options if we came to a conclusion that there need to be another avenue," Schatz said. "I think having multiple bills filed gives us chances to accomplish that, but I think the end goal is basically what we stated previously."
Senate Minority Floor Leader John Rizzo, D-Jackson County, also proposed a clean FRA renewal bill, stating that he was unaware Republicans would propose one without additional provisions.
Rizzo said the renewal of the FRA has been supported by both Republicans and Democrats in the past, as it hasn't been challenged in its nearly 30 years of existence, but Senate Democrats won't support legislation restricting coverage for contraceptives and funding for Planned Parenthood.
"The Republican plan to block birth control for women on Medicaid will jeopardize billions in health care funding while increasing the number of unplanned pregnancies among the Medicaid population," Rizzo said in a news release. "The Senate Democratic Caucus will not support legislation blocking birth control for women. We are offering a path forward that protects healthcare funding, has bipartisan support, and has been done before. This 'clean FRA' is the only thing guaranteed to protect Missouri's entire health care system."
Onder said the FRA is the only legislation that Senate Republicans can leverage to reform the state's Medicaid system.
Assistant Minority Floor Leader Brian Williams, D-St. Louis County, questioned the timing of the additional provisions being added onto the FRA bills.
"I think this is about political pandering, I think this is about folks wanting to make headlines over policy, and I truly think we're going to put our state in severe risk," Williams said.
The final bill proposal, from Sen. Denny Hoskins, R-Johnson County, introduced legislation prohibiting the teaching of Critical Race Theory in public schools. While not in the governor's call for the special session, Hoskins said it was an important issue to address.
The Missouri General Assembly has until July 1 to pass an extension of the FRA before Parson begins making substantial cuts to the fiscal year 2022 budget.