Missouri legislature has opportunities to assist those most in need


Missouri lawmakers should pursue Gov. Matt Blunt’s proposals to help children and low-income working adults this session.

Because of the governor’s announcement that he won’t seek re-election, his legislative agenda could suffer.

In some cases, that would be just fine. The governor’s call for a constitutional amendment to limit the authority of judges, for example, is a bad idea.

However, Blunt in his budget recommendations finally suggested that legislators start repairing holes they put in the safety net for the poor and children in 2005. The proposed improvements in health care and social services should find favor, along with better funding of education.

In 2005, legislators and the governor forced 100,000 Missourians, including 25,000 children, off state health insurance. This created hardships for many low-income families, single mothers and individuals with disabilities who depended on state help.

Blunt’s current proposals don’t go far enough to fix the damage done in the first year of his administration. However, they represent movement in the right direction. Legislators will need to approve sufficient funding to do the job right.

Among the proposals that should pass:
•Expand the state Children’s Health Insurance program to cover 3,700 more children.
•Restore dental and vision services to Medicaid coverage.
•Assist more working parents with health coverage, and subsidize coverage for small businesses so they can offer it to their employees.
•Improve foster-care payments.

Blunt said he had done all he wanted to do as governor. But must work remains to be finished.

He stands a better chance of ending his four-year term well if he continues to push for improvements — and convinces lawmakers to find the money to pay for them.

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