Room 426, State Capitol, Jefferson City, MO 65101 (573) 751-2306
msinglet@services.state.mo.us

JEFFERSON CITY – On Tuesday the House of Representatives voted to pass Senate Bill 25, a bill I sponsored regarding Sudden Infant Death Syndrome. The bill is awaiting Governor Mel Carnahan's signature before it can be enacted into law. SB 25 offers a humane choice for parents struggling with the loss of a child due to Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (SIDS). Under current Missouri law, an autopsy is required for all suspected SIDS cases.

The Department of Health is required to provide a copy of the autopsy to the parents. However, autopsy results provide a gruesome detailed account of the procedure including such information as the location and length of the incisions and the weight and condition of each body organ. The graphic descriptions can be devastating to grieving parents.

Under SB 25, parents will be provided with a summary of the autopsy results, which merely explains the cause of death and omits the scientific details. Upon request parents will be able to obtain the full autopsy summary or request that it be sent to a family physician, who can review the findings with them. This method of reporting the cause of death will hopefully ease some of the pain of already grieving parents. Last Thursday, Senate Bill 479 was also truly agreed and finally passed. My bill makes a change in a law regarding regulation of the sale of liquefied petroleum gas. The bill prohibits persons from selling retail LP Gas unless that person maintains and operates one or more storage tanks located in the state of Missouri. The tanks must have a combined capacity of at least eighteen thousand gallons. However, storage capacity requirements shall apply only to businesses engaged in the bulk sales of liquefied petroleum. Rep. Sam Gaskill, R-Washburn, was instrumental in its passage by handling the bill in the House of Representatives.

Although there are only two weeks remaining in this legislative session, I will continue to push for the issues and concerns I know are important to my district. The people of Newton, Jasper, and McDonald counties will have a voice at the state Capitol.

As a practicing physician, I continue to work 3 days a week in my medical office in Joplin, specializing in Ear, Nose and Throat problems and related allergies. In the mid- week, I serve as a citizen legislator at the state capitol. After May 14, I will be available full- time in the Joplin medical office until next year.

If you have any comments or questions, Sen. Singleton can be reached at his office in Jefferson City -- State Capitol, Room 426, Jefferson City, Missouri 65101, (573) 751-2306, msinglet@services.state.mo.us.

- end -