LITTLE ROCK, Ark. (AP) Arkansas’ governor and legislative leaders hope to keep the agenda limited to the budget when lawmakers convene at the Capitol this week, but they face uncertainty over whether there will be enough support to keep the state’s hybrid Medicaid expansion alive another year.
Gov. Asa Hutchinson will kick off the start of this year’s abbreviated “fiscal” session focusing primarily on budget issues on Monday with a joint address to the House and Senate. Hutchinson, a Republican who is seeking re-election this year, said his proposed $5.6 billion budget the coming year lays the foundation for issues lawmakers will need to address when they return for next year’s session.
Vacancies in the state Senate have left supporters of the expansion short of the three-fourths support they’ll need to approve its reauthorization.
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