LOCAL LAWMAKERS SPLIT OVER FAMILY PLANNING

Area lawmakers said Wednesday they don't know if the Missouri House and Senate can iron out their differences over funding for Planned Parenthood.

Part of the state's $15 billion operating budget has been held hostage over the stalemate. The issue has divided Cape Girardeau County's three Republican lawmakers.

State Reps. Mary Kasten of Cape Girardeau and David Schwab of Jackson don't want any state money to go to Planned Parenthood.

Sen. Peter Kinder of Cape Girardeau strongly opposes abortion, but agrees with a majority of members in the Senate who believe the House move to ban funding for Planned Parenthood won't hold up in court.

Gov. Mel Carnahan called a special session after the House and Senate couldn't resolve the issue during the regular session, which ended last Friday.

The special session is costing taxpayers $23,000 a day.

The anti-abortion majority in the House approved a budget bill Tuesday that bars Planned Parenthood from receiving any of the $6.5 million set aside for family planning agencies in the state.

The House bill would prohibit state funding for agencies that perform, assist or encourage abortions, or directly refer people to abortion providers.

Kinder serves on the Senate Appropriations Committee, which took no action Wednesday on the House bill.

The committee is expected to vote on the bill this morning. The full Senate is scheduled to meet at 10 a.m. today, followed by the House at 1 p.m.

Senate Appropriations Committee Chairman Mike Lybyer, D-Huggins, told The Associated Press the Senate might go along with most of the family planning provisions passed by the House to avoid dragging out the special session.

Kinder said in Cape Girardeau Wednesday that he would support whatever position Lybyer takes regarding the House bill.

The state senator voiced his comments after a luncheon speech to the Cape Girardeau Lions Club prior to leaving for Jefferson City to meet with other members of the Senate Appropriations Committee.

Kinder said his "heart and sympathy" rest with abortion opponents. But he and other senators have repeatedly questioned the legality of the House ban.

Last year, a federal judge ruled the state can't withhold family planning funds from Planned Parenthood because some of its affiliates perform abortions.

A majority of House members believe it is impossible to assure that none of that family planning money is used for abortion services without writing Planned Parenthood out of the budget.

But Kinder said Missouri law already prohibits the state from funding abortions.

Unless a compromise is reached, lawmakers might have to consider some type of emergency funding measure to keep some state departments operating after the new budget year begins July 1, Kinder said.

Schwab doesn't expect the House to accept anything less than a funding ban.

"We feel very strongly that none of the state money should go to fund abortions," he said.

The Jackson farmer said he believes the House ban would hold up in court. If not, the House bill includes two back-up plans.

The first would allow federally qualified health centers and government-run clinics to receive the funds. Some private agencies would no longer qualify.

If that didn't meet court approval, then only government-run health agencies would receive state money for family planning services under an alternative plan.