Boise (670 KBOI News) – Some drama is in store this — presumably — last week of the 2018 Idaho legislative session.
A bill to expand Medicaid to cover the so-called “gap population” is being pulled out of the House Health and Welfare Committee…it made it to the House floor in February, but was sent back after Committee Chairman Fred Wood of Burley decided it didn’t have the support to pass a floor vote.
Boise Representative Ilana Rubel said the bill cleared Committee before, so it deserves an up or down vote on the floor.
“I think we need to know,” said Rubel. “I think we can’t leave the people of Idaho, after six years, wondering whether maybe it would have passed, or maybe it wouldn’t have. I think we should resolve that question and just have a vote.”
But Representative Karey Hanks of St. Anthony said it’s wrong to tell taxpayers to pay for those who could be working.
“We need to quit spending money here in this body,” said Hanks. “It’s ridiculous. We have, like, a 3% unemployment rate in Idaho, so people need to get back to work.”
The vote was close — 7-5 — to send the bill back to the floor for a vote. Governor Otter supports the bill, but if it cleared the House, it would still have to get all the way through the Senate.
