Missouri Gov. Matt Blunt is still considering the possibility of calling a lame-duck special session before he leaves office in January. During the election campaign, Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder suggested the idea to pass emergency funding for Utilicare, a program that helps folks keep the lights on during the winter.

Kinder argued that the energy crisis was the reason for a special session, as compared to the traditional practice of funding Utilicare with supplemental budget funds in January or February. Energy prices have since fallen steeply since Kinder made the suggestion.

Blunt has been non-committal on the idea, but according to the Associated Press, he’s still thinking about it:

JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) — A special legislative session is still a possibility to provide more state money for low-income energy assistance.

Lt. Gov. Peter Kinder had urged the governor to call a special session after the Nov. 4 election to help Missourians struggling to pay their utility bills.

A spokeswoman for Gov. Matt Blunt said Wednesday that he has consulted with legislative leaders and is still considering whether to call a special session before his term ends in January.

Before the election, Democrats has wondered if this was really a ploy to give Blunt a chance to get various appointments confirmed by the Senate, and thus limit the new governor, Jay Nixon, from making all the appointments.

Asked recently about whether the governor would consider asking the Senate to confirm his recent appointments as part of a possible special session, Gov. Matt Blunt’s spokeswoman, Jessica Robinson, said, “The governor has not made a decision about a special session so it would be premature to speculate at this time.” Robinson, however, added that dealing with appointments in a special session would be “highly unlikely.”

Sen. Jeff Smith, D-St. Louis, doubts senators would give blanket approval to Blunt’s pending nominees as a slate. Unlike some previous governors, Blunt has not built up a lot of goodwill in the Legislature, even in his own party, Smith said.

“He’s not been the type who came to our offices and sought our counsel. I don’t think there’s going to be a move to appease” him at the end of his term.