Latest news with #SenateJointResolution15
Yahoo
20-05-2025
- Health
- Yahoo
Alaska Legislature urges congressional delegation to oppose Medicaid cuts
Sen. Forrest Dunbar, D-Anchorage, speaks on Tuesday, April 15, 2025. Dunbar sponsored a resolution asking the state's congressional delegation to oppose Medicaid cuts. (Photo by James Brooks/Alaska Beacon) The Alaska Legislature has voted to urge the state's congressional delegation to oppose cuts to Medicaid, as the state faces a potential annual loss of $194 million in federal spending and tens of thousands more uninsured residents. The House passed Senate Joint Resolution 15 on Sunday by a vote of 27-13, and the Senate approved the final version 14-6 on Monday. The joint federal-state program is the largest health care payer for lower-income Alaskans and a major source of nursing care for people with a wide range of incomes. The U.S. House of Representatives is considering making $625 billion in cuts over the next 10 years. The health-focused foundation KFF estimated that Alaska would see a loss of federal payments under the current proposal equal to $194 million this year, or 19% of federal Medicaid spending in the state. And state enrollment would decline by between 24,000 and 40,000, with a midpoint estimate of 32,000 fewer Alaskans enrolled in the program. The Senate Health and Social Services Committee sponsored the resolution. Sen. Forrest Dunbar, D-Anchorage and the committee chair, noted roughly 1 in 3 Alaskans is enrolled in the program. He referred to his family history. 'My grandfather fought in World War II, and towards the end of his life, my mother moved him up to Fairbanks to get long-term care,' Dunbar said. 'He had to have round-the-clock care; it was about $8,000 a month, which at the time was a lot of money — now it's even more expensive. And the VA didn't cover all of that care. We had to enroll him in the Medicaid program. And there are thousands of stories just like that.' Under the current U.S. House proposal, the two biggest cuts would be the result of instituting work and reporting requirements for Medicaid enrollees and increasing the complexity of applying for and renewing Medicaid. Dunbar noted that Medicaid pays for a significant share of revenue at major health care providers, citing estimates of 25% of payments to Providence Alaska and 41% of payments to the Alaska Native Tribal Health Consortium. Sen. Löki Tobin, D-Anchorage, emphasized that the program enrolls most of Alaska's children, including through school-based programs, and is a major source of health care for Alaska Natives. The resolution asks U.S. Sens. Lisa Murkowski and Dan Sullivan and U.S. Rep. Nick Begich to oppose the proposed cuts 'to protect the state's health care system, communities, citizens, and economy.' The resolution said 'Medicaid plays a crucial role in supporting the state's small businesses and entrepreneurs by providing access to affordable health care coverage for employees, which helps prevent illness, reduces absenteeism, and improves productivity,' and that ' by ensuring workers have access to necessary medical services, Medicaid enables small businesses to retain a healthier, more reliable workforce, ultimately contributing to economic stability and growth in the state.' Rep. Genevieve Mina, D-Anchorage, led the effort to pass the bill in the House and questioned whether the state can afford to take on a greater share of Medicaid spending. 'Given our current fiscal situation, I don't think that's going to be realistic, in terms of delivering health care services for people who need it,' she said. All 21 members of the multipartisan House majority voted for the resolution, along with six minority-caucus Republicans: Reps. Jeremy Bynum of Ketchikan, Bill Elam of Nikiski, Elexie Moore of Wasilla, David Nelson of Anchorage, Mike Prax of North Pole and Justin Ruffridge of Soldotna. The other 13 minority-caucus members voted against it. One resolution opponent, Rep. Julie Coulombe of Anchorage, proposed an amendment to the resolution that supported 'efforts to identify and eliminate waste, fraud and abuse within the Medicaid system.' Coulombe's amendment passed. When the amended version of the resolution returned to the Senate, Dunbar criticized the added language, which he described as a 'red herring.' He also said that congressional efforts are not targeting waste, fraud and abuse, and could actually undermine some investigations of these issues. But he called for the Senate to pass it despite the added language, due to the overall goals of the resolution. 'I would hope that whatever decision is made at the federal government, that the floor doesn't drop out on states like Alaska — but if they're going to decide to reduce things, that we're given some time to adjust to that.' – Alaska Gov. Mike Dunleavy Twelve of the 14 Senate majority members voted for it, with Nikiski Republican Sen. Jesse Bjorkman and Fairbanks Democrat Scott Kawasaki the only majority members to vote no. Among minority-caucus Republican senators, four voted no, while Sens. Mike Cronk of Tok/Northway and James Kaufman of Anchorage voted for it. While resolutions like these do not go before Gov. Mike Dunleavy, when the governor was asked about his view of Medicaid and other federal cuts at a new conference on Monday, he acknowledged that the federal government is facing a growing national debt. 'My concern is that Alaska may end up losing money in this process,' he said. 'I would hope that whatever decision is made at the federal government, that the floor doesn't drop out on states like Alaska — but if they're going to decide to reduce things, that we're given some time to adjust to that.' SUPPORT: YOU MAKE OUR WORK POSSIBLE
Yahoo
12-02-2025
- Business
- Yahoo
Additional Arkansas constitutional amendments filed in legislature
LITTLE ROCK, Ark. – Additional constitutional amendments were filed in the Arkansas legislature on Tuesday and Wednesday, on the heels of multiple amendments filed Monday. Constitutional amendments are filed as joint resolutions. If they pass legislative review, they are placed on the ballot for voter approval before they become law. The most recent filings would affect gubernatorial appointments, economic development, a taxpayer bill of rights, ballot initiatives, removing the tax on food, voting rights and an updated version of the judicial candidate disclosure amendment filed on Monday. GUBERNATORIAL APPOINTMENTS House Joint Resolution 1013 adds the offices that can be appointed by the governor when there is a vacancy. In the past, the governor could appoint U.S. Senate assignments and state, district, circuit, county and township offices. Series of constitutional amendments filed in Arkansas legislature on Monday The resolution would add the ability of the governor to appoint members of Congress, Lieutenant Governor and General Assembly members. It removes the ability to appoint for county offices. This resolution has cleared the House floor and is in committee. ECONOMIC DEVELOPMENT Senate Joint Resolution 15 would empower the General Assembly to loan or grant money to economic development projects. It also permits the development of economic development districts and the issuance of bonds to finance them. An economic development district would be an area designated for development promotion. TAXPAYER BILL OF RIGHTS Senate Joint Resolution 17 would create a Taxpayer Bill of Rights. It would mandate that no deficit spending can occur in setting the state budget, that taxes can not be established, increased or extended without a three-quarter vote of the General Assembly, and that laws dictate how state set-aside funds are used. BALLOT INITIATIVES Two amendments here: House Joint Resolution 1016 would remove the ability of an initiative sponsor to amend the petition after it has been found insufficient. House Joint Resolution 1017 would require a majority of voters, then a majority of voters in the state's counties to approve it, and would be rejected if a majority of general election voters were against it, regardless of counties. FOOD TAX Senate Joint Resolution 19 is one sentence long, removing the excise tax on food and ingredients. VOTING RIGHTS House Joint Resolution 18 intends to create the 'Citizens Only Voting Act,' meaning that only a U.S. citizen can vote in national elections held in Arkansas, and only an Arkansas resident can vote in Arkansas elections. JUDICIAL CANDIDATES Unlike Senate Joint Resolution 13, which wasfiled on Monday, allowing judicial candidates to add a political party with their name on ballots, House Joint Resolution 1015, filed Wednesday, would require judicial candidates to list their political party on ballots. Arkansas Gov. Sarah Huckabee Sanders signs bill limiting medical insurance settlements The House resolution has a significantly larger sponsor list. Wednesday is the deadline to enter constitutional amendments for this legislative session. Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
