Flaggs wants resolution to allow Senate to reconsider Medicaid reauthorization bill
Rep. George Flaggs, D-Vicksburg, is hoping legislative leaders can come together on a compromise to reauthorize Medicaid.
Flaggs said today he is filing a resolution to suspend the rules and reconsider the Senate’s Medicaid reauthorization bill. The resolution would need a two-thirds majority to suspend the rules.
Last week, House Speaker Philip Gunn sent the Senate bill to the Rules Committee where it was killed. Democrats, for the second time, also blocked passage of the House bill, which does not include the code section that would be needed for Medicaid expansion.
Gunn said he killed the Senate bill, which included the code section that could be amended to expand Medicaid but did not include language doing so, because there was no need for further debate on Medicaid expansion because the votes to expand were not there. Minority Leader Bobby Moak, D-Bogue Chitto, said Democrats wanted the opportunity to propose Medicaid expansion and debate the issue on the floor.
Lawmakers can only offer amendments to the code sections included in a bill. Therefore, if the code sections that define participation in Medicaid are not included in the reauthorization bill, the bill could not be amended to expand the program.
Daily Ledes
2/18/13
Magnolia Tribune
