Mo. Senator Loses Leadership Post After Sneaking Midwifery Into Health Bill

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A state senator got stripped of his committee chairmanship this week after sneaking contentious language legalizing lay midwifery into a health insurance bill passed by the House and Senate.

Sen. John Loudon defended his shrewd move, even as other lawmakers decried him for violating one of the most important unwritten rules of lawmaking — trust.

Loudon, R-Chesterfield, was the Senate handler of one of Gov. Matt Blunt’s priority bills intended to expand private health insurance to some of Missouri’s 700,000 uninsured, particularly those employed by small businesses.

Last week Loudon outlined a new, 123-page version of the bill _ purportedly one agreed to by key House and Senate members, the governor’s office and trade groups for small businesses and insurers.

But while explaining the bill, Loudon never mentioned that it also included an obscure sentence allowing certified midwives to help with home births. Under current Missouri law, midwifery is considered the illegal practice of medicine when done by anyone other than a physician or certain specially trained nurses.

The Senate passed the bill 31-0 with virtually no debate–its last act before heading home for a three-day weekend.