http://ozarkspub.vo.llnwd.net/o37/KSMU/audio/mp3/housedebat_1070.mp3
Legislation that would drop the regional designation from the name Southwest Missouri State University came before the House for debate Monday afternoon. KSMU's Missy Shelton reports.
In an effort to stall the bill, opponents of the proposed name change tried to amend it.
Adding anything to the bill would send it back to the senate and that's something that bill supporters say they don't want.
During debate on the bill, Columbia Representative Judy Baker urged lawmakers to adopt her amendment that would have put the name change on the ballot.
The House also voted against an amendment that would've banned human cloning.
The bill sponsor, Springfield Representative B-J Marsh says at times, he was worried about the amendments.
Some of the bill's opponents say giving S-M-S the name Missouri State University would take away prestige from the University of Missouri.
Representative Bryan Pratt of suburban Kansas City is an alumnus of M-U and opposes the name change.
He says he worries the name change will lead to less state funding for M-U.
But bill supporters say this isn't a cash grab on the part of S-M-S.
They point to a compromise provision that senators added to the bill, a provision that has the support of both MU President Elson Floyd and SMS President John Keiser.
The former chairman of the House Budget Committee, Carl Bearden of St Charles says this isn't about money.
Opposition to the name change didn't come exclusively from M-U alumni and supporters.
Representative Bob Johnson of suburban Kansas City says Central Missouri State University could become the next Missouri State University'He says both schools could qualify for the new name Missouri State University.
The bill does include a name change for Central Missouri State.
Under the proposal, it would become the University of Central Missouri if the school's governing board approves the change.
Supporters of the name change bill say a new name for S-M-S won't hurt Central.
And Representative Jay Wasson of Nixa says it certainly won't hurt the University of Missouri.
Debate on the name change bill in the House resumes this morning.