Mike Moon: Will the SAFE Act pass the Missouri Senate this week?

(From Sen. Mike Moon, R-Ash Grove)

What a week this has been at the Capitol! What began as one filled with hope that the S.A.F.E. act (Senate Bill 49) would be Perfected (see last week’s Capitol Report for details on how a bill is passed) turned quickly into one of the most frustrating times of my life.

On Monday, about one hour before session began, I met with the Majority Floor Leader, Senator Cindy O’Laughlin, who told me to lay the bill over (on the Informal calendar). My first response was, “Why?”

No reasonable response was given.

So, during session, I brought the bill up for discussion. Just after I explained the bill, Senator O’Laughlin made the motion to adjourn (but, not before inappropriately usurping the floor*). The adjournment motion, by Senate tradition, moved the bill to the Informal calendar (see last week’s Capitol Report for the importance of this move). No rule exists, however.

Of course, the bill to protect Missouri children from the medical community, and others, who wish to use chemicals to castrate and sterilize children was in a great position to pass before spring break. (It is a longstanding belief that bills which make it over to the other house before the halfway mark have a much greater chance of passing than others.) My concern is that, since only one week is left in session before spring break, the bill will be filibustered by Democrats. A two-day filibuster doesn’t take that much effort.

What caused the kerfuffle?

I learned this week that discussions had taken place, regarding the S.A.F.E. act, with those who were opposed (to protecting children from abuse at the hands of the medical community). I was not included in the discussion(s). Nor, was I provided specific details of the conversations. Imagine the frustration I was experiencing.

Early in the session, Republican leaders hinted that in order to pass the S.A.F.E. act, I would have to exclude the hormone treatments. That is an unacceptable premise, because the introduction of hormones can sterilize or castrate an individual in a matter of a few short months.

Taking the Floor Away from a Senator

*In order to speak on the Senate (or House) floor, a Senator must be recognized. I the present case, the Senate Majority Floor Leader requested a Point of Personal Privilege (these points are typically used to honor an individual or to deliver a heart-felt – not the case here. The Majority Floor leader used the time to berate the Senator from Lawrence – me). Such a privilege must be granted without objection. Had I known what was about to happen, I would have objected.

As a result, the session lasted little more that one-half hour (this will most likely be use against me – by not “obeying” leaders, nothing productive was done on Monday. Missouri Republicans will now have an opportunity to argue that my actions resulted in the bill not passing the Senate.

Sufficient votes were in support of the S.A.F.E. act before Monday. After “whipping” the votes after adjournment, we still have sufficient votes.

What or Who’s the Holdup?

One lone Democrat has threatened to filibuster the S.A.F.E. act. The filibuster is an age old Senate tradition. A filibuster can last as long as enough Senators are willing to hold the floor. (Consider the fact that we only have four days remaining in the first-half of the session. The S.A.F.E. act is not slated to be taken up for Perfection until Tuesday. 

 My guess is that is won’t be until Wednesday, thus my earlier comment. I have argued for three years that controversial bills such as this one should be taken up early in the session. My reasoning is that it’s not probable that a filibuster would last one, two, three, or four months. Nonetheless, here we are.

It is my concern that the S.A.F.E. act will be used as a bargaining chip to secure the passage of other bills. (What that means is the bill will not pass this week, then, it will not be taken up again before the last month of session.) I hope I’m wrong.