Keeping Critical Drug
Trials in the State
This week, I presented Senate Bill 284 in the Committee on Financial and Governmental Organizations and Elections Committee. The bill would exempt all drug products used in drug trials from certain state regulations. Since these pharmaceuticals are not distributed by retailers, they do not need to be included in the same category that wholesale drugs are.
This is an important distinction because without the change, Missouri might not be able to continue participating in drug trials, experimental drug therapies that are often the last hope for patients fighting cancer and other serious illnesses. Missouri is the only state that currently requires this specific registration and we should not put patients in our state at risk of losing access to these possibly life-saving opportunities.
Safety for Emergency Workers
Senate Bill 260 is another bill I am sponsoring this year. The legislation, which was heard in the Transportation Committee this week, would work to increase protection for emergency responder personnel at the scene of an accident.
Several years ago, the Legislature passed a bill increasing the penalties for hitting a highway worker while they are on the job. These same penalties would be extended to EMS, fire fighters, and law enforcement at the scene of motor vehicle crashes. The legislation would reinforce the importance of driving carefully and providing plenty of space for emergency personnel working on dangerous areas of the road.
A lot of us remember reading about the tragic death of Cpl. Dennis Engelhard, a Missouri Highway Patrol Officer who was struck and killed assisting at the scene of a car wreck in St. Louis. Situations like these only drive home the importance of this legislation and call attention to the danger our first responders face.
Welcome to Your State Capitol
I was pleased to welcome several groups of visitors to the Capitol this week. These included:
* Physical therapy students and their teachers
* Missouri Nurses Association’s Nurse Advocacy Day
* Missouri Chamber Day
* Local pharmacists
* MU Extension Council Members
* Missouri Association for Career and Technical Education Day
UPDATE: Standing up for
Local Schools
In last week’s column, I mentioned several bridge projects that the Missouri Department of Transportation is undertaking in Douglas County. In order to quickly and efficiently replace these bridges, they need to shut them down. I heard from some concerned citizens in Ava about one particular closing that would have conflicted with school bus routes. I’d like to thank MoDOT for working with us, and changing the schedule to wait until after school lets out for the summer to start this particular project.
If you have any questions or comments about this or any other matter regarding your state government, please feel free to contact me at (573) 751-1503; you are also welcome to e-mail me at jay.wasson@senate.mo.gov.
