Governor signs bill keeping Medicaid expansion

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas’ governor has signed into law legislation to continue the state’s Medicaid expansion, which will impose a work requirement on thousands of participants this year.

Gov. Asa Hutchinson’s office said Thursday the Republican signed the budget bill for Medicaid and the expansion, which uses federal and state funds to purchase private insurance for low-income residents.

More than 285,000 people are on the program, which was created as an alternative to expanding Medicaid under the

federal health law.

Lawmakers reauthorized the program this week after federal officials approved the state’s plan to require thousands on it to work or volunteer in order to keep their coverage. Arkansas is the third state allowed to impose a work requirement on Medicaid.

The requirement won’t affect those on the state’s traditional Medicaid program.

College savings change stripped from budget bill

LITTLE ROCK — Arkansas lawmakers have stripped a proposal to allow 529 college savings funds to be withdrawn for public, private and religious K-12 expenses from the state treasurer’s budget after a dispute over the change had stalled the measure.

The House on Thursday approved the budget for the state treasurer by an 84-3 vote after the college savings provision was removed. The bill had failed twice previously in the House this week over objections to the savings provision.

The bill now heads to the Senate.

Supporters said the college savings provision was needed to mirror a change in federal law and ensure Arkansans don’t face a state tax penalty if they withdraw funds for K-12 expenses. Legislative leaders said they expected the proposal to come up during next week’s special session.