Missouri Senate gives initital approval to medical malpractice bill.
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Missouri Senate gives initital approval to medical malpractice bill.

Date: March 11, 2015
By: Katie Hynes
State Capitol Bureau

Intro: 
A bill that would cap the amount of damages that can be allotted to someone who has been injured at the hands of a doctor was given first-round approval by the Senate Tuesday.
RunTime:  0:40
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: The bill was perfected and passed in the Senate Tuesday evening.

Democratic Senator Scott Sifton from St. Louis County dominated the debate that took place on the floor and said he wanted to make sure the bill would not cause people problems after it was passed.

Actuality:  SIFT310.WAV
Run Time:  00:11
Description: "The last thing we want to do is have something leave this chamber, become law and, and have immediate unintended consequences that have everybody back the next year trying to fix the problem that we just caused."

Inn order to get it to pass, the bill's sponsor Republican Senator Dan Brown from central Missouri agreed to compromise on increasing the amount a patient can receive in damages. 

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Katie Hynes.

Intro: 
A bill that would reform medical malpractice law is one step closer to being sent to passing the Senate after a debate Tuesday.
RunTime:  0:43
OutCue:  SOC

Wrap: A bill that had been predicted to not be finalized until the end of the week was given initial approval by the Senate Tuesday evening. 

The bill would cap the amount of damages that can be given to someone who has been injured at the hands of a doctor.

An increase of the cap was reluctantly agreed to by bill sponsor Republican Senator Dan Brown from central Missouri. 

Actuality:  BROWN310.WAV
Run Time:  00:14
Description: "At this point I will tell everyone I have now agreed to 700 thousand dollars. Never had I agreed to that number before. I don't think it's the right move, but I'm hoping that this gives some certainty."

The bill needs one more vote from the full Senate before it goes to the House.

Reporting from the state Capitol, I'm Katie Hynes.