5:45 p.m. update
House Speaker Jeremy Gillam says it's possible the Legislature may recess if the funding measure for Arkansas' hybrid Medicaid expansion deadlocks in the Senate.
Gillam said Wednesday that a recess is one of the options legislative leaders are mulling if the Medicaid budget bill doesn't get the three-fourths vote needed in the Senate. The measure is scheduled go before the Senate on Thursday.
Gillam said a short recess could give lawmakers a chance to talk with constituents in their districts about the effect of ending the expansion. Gillam has warned that state agencies across the board would face significant cuts without the program.
Read Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
— The Associated Press
4:20 p.m. update
Arkansas Gov. Asa Hutchinson says he's not considering any changes to his plan to keep and rework the state's hybrid Medicaid expansion as a way to win over fellow Republicans who have vowed to defund the program.
Hutchinson said Wednesday that he's confident the Medicaid budget bill funding the expansion has the 75 votes needed in the House to pass. Supporters of the plan have acknowledged the measure isn't likely to clear the 27 votes needed in the Senate.
Lawmakers last week approved legislation outlining Hutchinson's changes to the program, which uses federal funds to purchase private insurance for thousands of low-income residents. The Medicaid budget bill funding the program needs at least three-fourths support in each chamber to pass.
Hutchinson said the Medicaid budget bill is not the time to debate the policy of his hybrid expansion plan.
Read Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
— The Associated Press
2:55 p.m. update
Funding for Arkansas' first-in-the-nation hybrid Medicaid expansion is heading toward its first vote in the Legislature's fiscal session.
The Joint Budget Committee on a voice vote Wednesday advanced the Medicaid budget bill that funds the program, which uses federal funds to purchase private insurance for thousands of lower-income people.
The Senate is expected to take up the measure Thursday.
Supporters of the expansion acknowledge they are likely short of the three-fourths vote needed to approve the budget measure. Republicans opposed to the program have vowed to block any budget bill that includes funding for the expanded coverage.
The vote comes less than a week after lawmakers approved legislation outlining Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson's plan to keep and rework the program, which was created as an alternative to expanding Medicaid under the federal health law.
Read Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
— The Associated Press
1:40 p.m. update
House Democrats say they want to resolve the funding standoff over Arkansas' hybrid Medicaid expansion before any other budget bills are considered this session.
House Minority Leader Michael John Gray sent Speaker Jeremy Gillam a letter Wednesday asking that the Medicaid budget bill funding the expansion be taken up before any other proposals. Gray cited warnings that ending the expansion would lead to significant budget cuts.
Lawmakers last week approved Republican Gov. Asa Hutchinson's plan to keep and rework the expansion by large majorities, but shy of the three fourths support the Medicaid budget needs.
The hybrid expansion has sharply divided Republicans who control the Legislature.
Read Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
— The Associated Press
12:47 p.m. update
The Arkansas Senate is expected to take up funding for Arkansas' hybrid Medicaid expansion this week.
Senate President Pro Tempore Jonathan Dismang, R-Beebe, said that chamber planned to take up the bill authorizing funding for the program on Thursday, Arkansas Democrat-Gazette reporter Michael Wickline said on Twitter.
The Democrat-Gazette reported Wednesday that nine state senators have said they will vote against funding for the program, enough to block passage.
Prior to the start of the session, House Minority Leader Michael John Gray sent a letter to Gillam, Hutchinson and Senate President Pro Tempore Jonathan Dismang asking that funding for the agency in charge of expanded Medicaid be considered before other appropriations are voted on.
Gillam told reporters afterwards that he was OK with first considering appropriations for the Department of Human Services — including its Division of Medical Services — as long as other legislative leaders also approve.
12:40 p.m. update
A week after passing changes to the state's private-option Medicaid expansion, the Arkansas Legislature opened its fiscal session Wednesday with the future of the program still unclear before a vote on its funding.
Lawmakers are expected during the session to debate and approve funding levels for state agencies and programs, including the Medicaid expansion providing health care to 267,000 Arkansans.
A majority in both the House and Senate approved changes to the expansion, dubbed Arkansas Works, but funding requires three-quarter majorities. The earlier votes fell short of that threshold.
House Speaker Jeremy Gillam has proposed an alternative budget should funding for Arkansas Works fail to receive the necessary votes in the fiscal session. That budget would cut funding to state police, prisons, and higher education.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson also said Tuesday he wouldn't call a special session on highway funding if Arkansas Works funding isn't passed.
The House opened at noon Wednesday and quickly adjourned for a meeting of the Joint Budget Committee. That meeting was set to start about 1 p.m.
— John Moritz
11:25 a.m. update
Opponents of Arkansas' hybrid Medicaid expansion have filed a proposal to cap enrollment in the program and terminate the expanded coverage by year's end.
Republican Sen. Bart Hester on Wednesday filed a proposal to repeal legislation signed into law last week outlining Gov. Asa Hutchinson's plan to rework the hybrid expansion, which uses federal funds to purchase private insurance for low-income residents. Republican Rep. Bob Ballinger filed an identical version in the House.
The legislation approving the expansion passed by large majorities, but shy of the three-fourths support the Medicaid budget bill will need for funding. Lawmakers will take up the Medicaid budget bill at the fiscal session, set to begin at noon Wednesday.
Hutchinson, a Republican, has warned that state agencies will face significant cuts if the program isn't funded.
The opposition's proposal needs two-thirds support from the House and Senate to be introduced since it's not a budget bill.
Read Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.
— The Associated Press