Rep. Dr. Rob Schaaf, R-St. Joseph, defended his handling of a failed health care proposal to the Northwest Missouri Republican Club Thursday night.

“Did I do the right thing?” Dr. Schaaf asked two long tables of nodding Republicans at D&G Restaurant.

The governor’s plan to expand Medicaid eligibility has emerged as a key issue in the race for the Missouri House of Representatives’ 28th District seat.

Challenger Mark Sheehan, a Democrat, has criticized the incumbent for Insure Missouri’s demise, while Dr. Schaaf used the majority of his Thursday night keynote address to contend he'd done "what he set out to do." And that meant he wouldn’t support Matt Blunt’s social program without ensuring there would be savings for taxpayers.

Dr. Schaaf’s version of Insure Missouri never came up for a vote this spring in light of fierce lobbyist opposition to competition and transparency provisions he added to the bill.

But Insure Missouri played second fiddle to the Missouri Sunshine Law Thursday night.

Before recounting a play-by-play of his involvement with Insure Missouri, Dr. Schaaf said he wanted to be the first politician to respond to a News-Press editorial.

Today’s edition included “Questions for the Candidates” regarding Missouri’s open records and meetings law.

The following is a synopsis of Dr. Schaaf’s answers.

1. Should members of public bodies be required to take all votes in public, even those that stem from discussions legally permitted in private?

Schaaf: No, there are exceptions, such as personnel issues.

2. Should notice of all meetings be posted, with an agenda, at least 72 hours in advance to give citizens a better opportunity to be present?

Schaaf: While this may be feasible for some political subdivisions, “at the State House of Representatives, it would not work.” It takes 12 to 15 days to move bills through the political process with current 24-hour rules, he said.

3. Should closed discussion of “pending litigation” be permitted when no letter or other communication has been received threatening a lawsuit?

Schaaf: He seemed open to it, but added that he “generally” believed in as much open discussion as possible.

4. Should public bodies be required to keep electronic records in a format (such as Excel) that is widely used by and accessible to the general public?

Schaaf: “I’d like to see that happen,” but said it could serve as an unfunded mandate for political entities, like rural fire districts, that don’t have computers. “Maybe this is something that could be phased in over several years,” he said.

5. Should a public body be allowed to charge for legal fees it incurs in deciding what records it will claim are closed under the Sunshine Law?

Schaaf: Yes. The Sunshine Law is complicated. “Somebody ought to pay the attorney,” he said.

6. Should public bodies be allowed to charge the same for an electronic copy of a record as for a paper copy that requires more effort to retrieve and provide?

Schaaf: No.

7. Must a member of a public body know he or she was violating the Sunshine Law before penalties and payment of attorneys’ fees can be imposed by a court?

Schaaf: No. “You’re going to dissuade candidates (from running),” he said.

8. Should the names and addresses of all finalists for top positions of public governmental bodies be made available to the public?

Schaaf: “I think so.”

(Contacted for comment, Mr. Sheehan said he’d provide his responses Friday. Check back with Political Punch to read the Democrat’s answers.)