Sen. Bart Hester early today filed legislation to end the Medicaid expansion program in Arkanas by the end of the year. Here’s the bill. His ally Rep. Bob Ballinger has a similar proposal in the House.
A nonappropriation bill can’t be considered without a two-thirds vote. The idea is, thus, DOA. To begin with, no Democrat will vote to end insurance coverage for 267,000 people. Some Republicans feel that way, too.
Also this morning: House Speaker Jeremy Gillam filed a resolution allowing the 30-day session to be extended until May 27, a two-week extension. The resolution anticipates a recess on May 20.
Also: House Democrats have written a letter to Speaker Gillam asking that no votes on appropriations be taken until the Medicaid spending bill is decided because of its enormous impact on the budget should it fail.