Governor drops plan to expand Medicaid
By David A. Lieb
The Associated Press
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) Missouri Gov. Mike Parson dropped plans Thursday to expand the state s Medicaid health-care program to thousands of low-income adults after the Republican-led Legislature refused to provide funding for the voter-approved measure.
The Republican governor said his administration had withdrawn a request to expand coverage that had been submitted to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services in compliance with a constitutional amendment passed by voters last August.
He noted that the state s $35 billion budget approved by lawmakers last week didn t provide the funding he had requested for an expansion of Medicaid, which is known is Missouri as MO HealthNet.
Updated: 8:23 AM CDT May 14, 2021
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. Missouri s Republican-led Legislature was speeding toward its Friday deadline to pass bills with a high-profile measure to ban local enforcement of federal gun laws still outstanding.
The House has until 6 p.m. to give legislation final approval. Senators passed the bill 22-10 on Thursday.
The gun bill is a top priority, especially after lawmakers this week pushed through a hike on gas taxes and several other bills that grated some conservative Republicans.
The firearms measure would block enforcement of federal gun laws by local police, an effort growing in popularity in Republican-led states under Democratic President Joe Biden s administration.
Missouri Gov. Mike Parson has dropped plans to expand the state s Medicaid program after the Legislature declined to provide money for a measure approved by voters.
The Republican governor said Thursday that his administration has withdrawn an expansion plan that had been submitted to federal officials. Parson said he cannot proceed with it because the $35 billion budget approved by the Republican-led Legislature did not approve his funding proposal for the expansion. The decision is likely to trigger a lawsuit from supporters of Medicaid expansion.
Voters last August approved a ballot measure expanding eligibility to low-income adults.
JEFFERSON CITY, Mo. (AP) – Missouri’s Republican-led Legislature was speeding toward its Friday deadline to pass bills with a high-profile measure to ban local enforcement of federal gun laws still outstanding.
The House has until 6 p.m. to give legislation final approval. Senators passed the bill 22-10 on Thursday.
The gun bill is a top priority, especially after lawmakers this week pushed through a hike on gas taxes and several other bills that grated some conservative Republicans.
The firearms measure would block enforcement of federal gun laws by local police, an effort growing in popularity in Republican-led states under Democratic President Joe Bidens administration.