JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. _ It could be mid-July before the fate of Missouri Gov. Eric Greitens' mid-summer bid to toughen state abortion laws is known.
With senators back home in their districts, legislative leaders are surveying members to determine when they will be able to return to the capital city.
On Tuesday, the chamber will gavel into session as part of a parliamentary move meant to keep the clock ticking on the special session called by the Republican governor. But, no formal action on legislation is planned, said Senate Republican spokeswoman Lauren Heiger.
Sen. Andrew Koenig, the sponsor of legislation approved in the Senate on June 15, said he believes the full Senate won't be back in action until after July 10 because of scheduling conflicts and the July 4 holiday.
The Republican from Manchester said he's not disappointed with the time lag because the Senate will need to review the changes to his bill made by the House.
"I'm OK with the delay," Koenig told the St. Louis Post-Dispatch Monday.
He said the changes could prove to be a sticking point for resolving the special session.
"Obviously we had worked out an agreement there," Koenig said.
The proposed legislation nullifies a St. Louis ordinance banning employers and landlords from discriminating against women who have had an abortion, use contraceptives or are pregnant.
Additionally, the measure mandates annual inspections of abortion clinics and tougher regulations for submitting fetal tissue to pathologists.
On June 20, the House added provisions to the measure, including banning abortion clinic employees from requesting that ambulances responding to medical emergencies at their facilities avoid using sirens or flashing lights.
It also gives Missouri's attorney general the ability to prosecute violations of abortion laws without notifying local prosecutors, and requires doctors to inform women of the medical risks of an abortion 72 hours before the procedure.
After the Senate approved its version, Senate President Pro Tem Ron Richard suggested the Senate would have a hard time agreeing to any tweaks added by the House.
"You can only do what you can do," Richard told the Post-Dispatch. "We did the best we could do with what we had."
A spokesman for Greitens did not immediately respond to a request for comment on the delay. Greitens earlier canceled a trade mission to Europe in order to be in the Capitol during the special session.
