By Marshall Griffin, KWMU
Jefferson City, MO – Passage of a wide-ranging illegal immigration bill in the Missouri Senate is still on hold because a bill on another topic hasn't arrived yet from the State House.
House members on Wednesday passed a bill that repeals an item allowing landowners to form self-governing villages.
House Speaker Rod Jetton (R, Marble Hill) created the controversial provision last year.
State Senator Jack Goodman (R, Mt. Vernon) says despite being passed, the village law repeal has yet to be delivered to the Senate, and he suspects the delay may be deliberate.
"Well, it's an unusual thing to happen, and I think there's probably a message in the inaction," Goodman said.
Goodman is refusing to schedule a committee vote on the immigration bill until they've received the village law repeal.
Jetton crafted the provision that allows landowners to set up self-governing villages and avoid local zoning laws.
He was not available for comment, but he's stated in past interviews that the provision would help spur the growth of infrastructure.
A spokesman for Jetton says the bill repealing the village law has been sent to the Missouri Senate.
Meanwhile, State Senator Scott Rupp (R, Wentzville), sponsor of the omnibus illegal immigration bill, remains positive everything will work out.
"There's still enough time and it's such a high-priority issue we'll make sure that it gets done, and I'm very, very confident that we will still have enough time to do that...I don't think we're (going to) need a special session," Rupp said.