By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – The Missouri HealthNet bill, which proposes a replacement for the state's current Medicaid system, is now in the hands of the state House. But with only 6 weeks left, it's possible the session could end before the work is done.
House Speaker Rod Jetton says they'll have to rush to get it passed and ready for conference hearings.
"We're gonna have to really bust it over here to, uh, to get that thing done," Jetton said. "And you don't want to rush something like that and make a mistake. I mean, you want to do it [right], it's a major big program."
Jetton says he's also waiting for the Senate to finish up and send to the House the MOHELA bill, the Social Security tax cut, and other legislation. Plus, both chambers have to finish work on the state budget.
Missouri House Speaker Rod Jetton is concerned that some major pieces of legislation may not pass, because time is running out on the 2007 legislative session.
Jetton has talked to Senate President Pro-tem Michael Gibbons, and says he's concerned as well about getting those bills passed as soon as possible.
State law requires that the budget be finalized by May 11th.
The MOHELA bill would take excess funds belonging to the Missouri Higher Education Loan Authority and use it to fund new construction on college campuses. Democrats have been conducting a filibuster to block the bill's passage. They want the money to be used for student loans.