KANSAS CITY, Mo. -- Ethics questions are being raised over a Missouri state senator's handling of a medical malpractice insurance bill.
The Kansas City Star reported that Sen. Rob Schaaf, vice chairman of the committee where the bill died, has a business that would have faced stricter regulations had the legislation passed.
"Where there's such a particular financial interest at stake, it seems like he shouldn't have been involved," said Beth Rosenson, a political scientist at the University of Florida who studies legislative ethics.
For seven years, the St. Joseph Republican and family physician has been co-owner of the Missouri Doctors Mutual Insurance Co., known as MoDocs.
Schaaf said he could not remember attempting to influence the bill, but said if it had advanced to a hearing or floor debate, he would have opposed it and voted against it.
"I doubt I had much influence on the trajectory of the bill at all," Schaaf said.
Missouri ethics laws and rules governing conflicts of interest give lawmakers wide discretion over how they influence legislation -- as long as they disclose their conflicts and are not uniquely affected by the outcome.
But critics said stronger laws may be needed.
"In practice, it would be good to clear up these definitions and make sure there's no way to misunderstand them," said Rep. Jason Kander, a Kansas City Democrat who has sponsored several ethics bills.
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