By AP/KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – A Cole County Circuit Judge issued a temporary restraining order Tuesday against a new law allowing midwives to practice in Missouri.
The midwifery provision was slipped into a larger health insurance bill and passed by lawmakers without their knowledge. Governor Matt Blunt signed the bill last month.
But several medical groups filed suit last week.
Tom Holloway is with the Missouri State Medical Association.
"The constitution says that no bill shall contain more than one subject which will be clearly expressed in its title, and the title of the underlying bill was health insurance and the issue of midwifery is not even remotely related to health insurance," Holloway said.
But Republican Senator John Loudon, who added the midwifery provision into the larger bill, says the two subjects do relate.
"Health insurance is about nothing more than access to health care, and access to midwifery is access to an additional form of health care, a more affordable form of health care," Loudon said.
The law was not set to take effect until August 28th, so the restraining order has little impact for the moment. The next court hearing is August 2nd.