On the positive side, Rep. Davis' new bill would guarantee they'll never be another politician just like her.
First time was back in June when Davis made headlines for a newsletter to her constituents in which she claimed that "hunger can be a powerful motivator" and suggested the state do away with a summer program to feed low-income children.
"What is wrong with the idea of getting a job so you can get better meals?" wrote Davis. "Tip: If you work at McDonald's, they will feed you for free during your breaks." (MSNBC's Keith Olbermann that week declared Davis the "World's Worst Person".
Then, this fall, Davis again made news when she and fellow Missouri representative, Timothy Jones (R-Eureka), signed on as plaintiffs to a federal lawsuit questioning the nationality of President Barack Obama. (A federal judge has since dismissed the suit, but not before rebuking Davis, Jones and their fellow conspiracists.)
In the latest news, this week Davis pre-filed legislation that would quash stem-cell research in Missouri. But you'd never guess that if you heard the name of Davis' resolution (HJR49) which she's calling the "Missouri Taxpayer Protection Initiative".
So, what is it that Davis is protecting taxpayers from?
The legislation -- which would have to be approved by voters in a general election -- would change Article III of the Missouri Constitution to make it unlawful for the state to use funds for abortions (other than those that would save the life of the mother), abortion services, human cloning and "prohibited human research".
Prohibited human research, as described in the legislation, is anything that takes organs, tissues or cellular material of any living or dead child. Davis defines a "child" as a "human being recognized as a minor pursuant to the laws of this state, including if in vivo, an unborn child, and if in vitro, a human being at any of the stages of biological development of an unborn child from conception or inception onward.
It's the "in vitro" clause that scares stem-cell researchers. Under Davis' definition, a "child" would include fertilized eggs from a fertility clinic that have never been implanted as well as embryos created with an unfertilized egg through other means.
In other words, the bill would seriously hamper stem-cell research in Missouri.
Today, Jim Goodwin, spokesman for Missouri Coalition for Life Saving Cures sent out an email warning that Davis' proposed legislation is "essentially the same" ballot initiative that Missouri Roundtable for Life submitted to the Secretary of State's Office earlier this year.
"Roundtable withdrew the ballot initiative last month, even though in October the group was given the green light to begin collecting signatures," says Goodwin. "Rep. Davis is now using HJR49 to push the ballot proposal."
In October, state auditor Susan Montee's office released a report on the economic impact of the ballot initiative proposed by Missouri Roundtable.
This proposal could have a significant negative fiscal impact on state and local governmental entities by prohibiting the use of public funds for certain research activities. Federal grants to state governmental entities for research and medical assistance programs may be in jeopardy. The total costs to state and local governmental entities are unknown.
