Missouri lawmakers end a record long filibuster

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (KMIZ)

At 3:30 a.m. Thursday morning the 41 hour filibuster that was lead by a small group of republicans has ended, breaking the previous record held in 2016.

The end of this filibuster will allow first round approval for a bill to fund medicaid.

Five members of the Missouri Freedom Caucus was holding up the federal reimbursement allowance. The FRA is a $4.5 billion tax that funds the states medicaid program.

The group of republicans was demanding Governor Mike Parson to sign a bill that would prevent planned parenthood from getting state payments as a medical provider. The group also filibustered to force a vote to make it harder to change the state constitution by initiative petition.

The members of the Freedom Caucus have tried to change the bill four times before resulting to this record long filibuster.

The 41 hour filibuster breaks the previous record held in 2016 when democrates opposed a constitutional amendment to allow businesses and clergy members to deny services to same-sex couples.