By Bill Raack, KWMU
St. Louis, MO. – Governor Matt Blunt says the new legislative session offers an opportunity to improve protections for kids against sexual offenders, enact eminent domain restrictions and increase funding for education.
The 2006 session begins Wednesday in Jefferson City.
Last year, Blunt and Republican lawmakers enacted nearly their entire agenda, including controversial Medicaid cuts.
The governor would not say if more changes to the Medicaid program are possible.
"We're going to continue to build a better system and we're trying to do something here in our state that no state does well, Blunt said. Really, no state would claim that they've figured out how you provide affordable health care to low income Missourians in a way that's sustainable long-term for taxpayers. But that's exactly what we're trying to do here in Missouri.
A legislative commission spent six months last year working on a plan to redesign Medicaid.
Missouri lawmakers will consider its recommendations this session, although some Democrats have already said that the plan doesn't do enough to help the uninsured.