Alaska Legislature Legislature passes bill to avert shutdown of Medicaid, ferries
The Alaska Legislature on Friday morning approved a stopgap spending plan that keeps the Alaska Marine Highway System operating and the state’s Medicaid program working.
In a 16-1 vote, the Alaska Senate approved House Bill 321, which contains the state’s “fast-track” appropriations bill. The Alaska House of Representatives approved the bill 32-7 on Monday.
Without action by the Legislature, the Alaska Marine Highway would have been forced to shut down on April 16. The state’s Medicaid program would have lacked the money to pay doctors, possibly as soon as month’s end.
The bill must be formally transmitted to Gov. Bill Walker and be double-checked by lawyers and financial experts. Walker press secretary Austin Baird said the governor will not sign it until next week.
Read more: http://juneauempire.com/state/news/2018-03-16/alaska-legislature-legislature-passes-bill-avert-shutdown-medicaid-ferries