LITTLE ROCK — The Arkansas House has passed a bill authorizing reimbursements for court officials and members of the Legislature for their travel expenses in the next fiscal year.
The 98-0 vote came Wednesday, after House Democrats had stalled the bill twice amid an impasse over the state's Medicaid budget. More than 20 Democrats had voted present Tuesday and last week, helping to delay an appropriation that needed 75 votes to pass.
Legislators at a meeting of the Joint Budget Committee agreed Tuesday on a funding plan for the state's hybrid Medicaid expansion. The compromise includes a provision to end the program, but the governor says he'll veto that language. His veto will allow lawmakers to effectively fund the expansion by upholding the veto with a simple majority vote.
Read Thursday's Arkansas Democrat-Gazette for full details.