Drunk doctors would face criminal charges under new bill

Doctors who perform medical procedures under the influence of alcohol would face criminal charges under a proposed measure debated Monday by the House Committee on Crime Prevention and Public Safety. "I was shocked to discover that it is not a crime for a doctor to perform surgery while intoxicated," said Rep. Vicki Schneider, R-O'Fallon, who introduced the bill. Paul Passanante, a medical malpractice attorney in St. Louis, told the committee about a physician who was intoxicated while operating on a patient. "He actually underwent a random drug test on the day that he performed a colonoscopy on my client, and he tested positive," Passanante said. Because the doctor was intoxicated, the patient ended up in critical condition. Passanante said he supports the bill and hopes it prevents this from happening again. Jeff Howell, spokesman for the Missouri State Medical Association, agreed that the problem needs to be addressed. However, he opposes the bill, calling it "unworkable." "It pretty much requires some type of drug test at the operating room door," Howell said. "Not only does it apply to physicians, but it casts a much wider net. It applies to any licensed health care professional." No immediate action was taken on the bill. The committee's chairman, Rep. Rodney Schad, R-Versailles, said the bill will be taken up at a later date.

Rep. Casey Guernsey: English Only Drivers Exams, Late Term Abortion Bans

This may seem like an odd requirement, but currently an individual in Missouri has the option to take the test in 11 different languages and also have an interpreter available. Especially considering that, in 2008 Missourians made English the state’s official language for all formal proceedings by a margin of 89%. If that isn’t a mandate, I’m not sure what would be! Doesn’t it stand to reason if we made English our official language, our tests should be administered in English? I think so.

While diversity is a proud part of our heritage and should continue to be in our future, I don’t believe we are compromising anything by requiring a standard language for all motorists in Missouri. For instance, someone who cannot communicate in English during a routine traffic stop or during an emergency situation on a major roadway could potentially cause serious harm to other motorists.

In addition, a great deal of access is allotted to individuals who have a driver’s license. Some individuals will use a driver’s licenses to get all kinds of government services that they could not otherwise, such as a forged birth certificate or social security card and then receive state welfare services.

In the Missouri House we have a strong majority of elected officials who are proud to support the pro-life cause. This majority is made up of both Republicans and Democrats. Together we are working to achieve another great victory for the rights of the unborn in Missouri. House Bill 213 would ban late-term abortions. It specifies that no abortion of a “viable” unborn child can be performed or induced except for the health of the mother. A child less than 20 months old is not considered “viable.” In the case of a child more than 20 months old, the baby is considered viable unless a doctor performs a checkup and signs off that the child is not viable.

A doctor who signed that a child was not viable when it actually was would be guilty of a class C felony, subject to severe fines and at least one year in jail. Further, the doctor would have his license to practice medicine suspended for 3 years, and any facility where the procedure was performed could lose its license.

While this bill would still allow for abortions where a Doctor considered a mother’s life to be in danger, over 92% of abortions are performed for social or “other” reasons. Less than 1% of abortions are performed because the mother’s life is in danger. Our efforts this week will hopefully lead to the protection of even more life in Missouri.

State regulators call for tougher laws to regulate doctors

State regulators are seeking laws giving them more authority to crack down on doctors who violate Missouri law. The Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration is proposing legislation this year that would allow the board that oversees doctors to better protect patients and the public.

Key provisions of the proposal will include giving the Board of Registration for the Healing Arts authority to:

· Immediately suspend the license of a doctor believed to be a danger to patients;

· Expedite discipline of doctors who commit fraud;

· Require timely decisions from the state Administrative Hearing Commission, which must approve board discipline of doctors;

· Greatly improve transparency of information about doctors to the public, including the doctor's education and discipline by other government agencies;

· Discipline doctors for negligence in patient care, rather than just "gross negligence" as required by current law;

· Discipline doctors for violating professional trust and confidence with patients - a law most other state licensing boards already have; and

· Discipline doctors for DWI convictions, being on a sex offender registry or failing to cooperate with board investigations.

"Protecting patients is one of our most important jobs as state regulators," said John M. Huff, director of the Department of Insurance, Financial Institutions and Professional Registration. "We'll work with legislators to build consensus and strengthen these important consumer protections in Missouri."

Sen. Kevin Engler, R-Farmington, Senate chair of Financial and Governmental Organizations and Elections Committee, looks forward to working with Rep. Ellen Brandom, R-Sikeston, chair of the House Professional Registration Committee, and other members in the General Assembly to pass this legislation this session. "It is critical we move forward to protect the safety and welfare of Missouri patients, especially those vulnerable to doctors overprescribing medications," said Sen. Engler.