JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (WGEM) – The Missouri Senate is at a stand-still as a group of Republicans called the “freedom caucus,” is filibustering the renewal of the federal reimbursement allowance.

The group is demanding several actions before they will end their blockade, including Gov. Parson’s signage of the recently passed bill that strips Medicaid funding from Planned Parenthood.

Before any discussion on renewing the FRA, the caucus also demands Senate leadership prioritize the passage of a resolution to make constitutional amendments more difficult for citizens to pass via ballot initiative. Republicans call the policy “initiative petition reform” or “IP reform.”

“We’re going to do what we can to hold the line to make sure that IP reform [passes], to protect our Constitution, protect life, that’s what we’re going to do before we move to the budget before we move to the FRA,” said Freedom Caucus leader, Sen. Rick Brattin, R-Harrisonville.

Democrats have promised to filibuster the IP resolution as long as it contains extra provisions that ban non-citizens from voting and bar foreign entities from political contributions.

Because both of those provisions are already enshrined in state and federal law, critics said they were being included only to resolve initiative petitions more attractive to constituents. It’s a strategy referred to as “ballot candy.”

“The only way that they can get it passed is by putting all of these measures in there that have nothing to do with the higher threshold to put things into the Constitution,” said Senate Minority Floor Leader John Rizzo. “They are there to disguise and to lie to people about what they’re trying to do and take away their voice. It is a scam that is one of the worst ones I’ve seen in my time down here.”

In 2021, a previous version of the Freedom Caucus filibustered the FRA until time ran out and lawmakers were forced into a special session to pass the bill without the caucus’ demands.

If the FRA is not renewed, the entire state legislature would have to start over their work on the 50-billion dollar budget – to account for a massive loss in revenue. Lawmakers estimate that allowing the FRA to expire would blow a $4.5 billion hole in the state’s spending plan.

The FRA expires in September.

Lawmakers have until May 10 to finish work on the state budget and one week after that to finish work on other legislation.

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Missouri House Budget Committee chairman Cody Smith (R-Carthage), left, discusses the state budget with Senate Appropriations Committee chairman Lincoln Hough (R-Springfield) on May 3, 2023 in Jefferson City (file photo courtesy of
Tim Bommel at House Communications)