Missouri likely 'going to court either way' as Senate panel rejects Medicaid expansion funds
Jeanne Kuang, The Kansas City Star
Apr. 22—JEFFERSON CITY — A powerful Missouri Senate committee dealt an early blow Wednesday night to Democrats and Medicaid expansion advocates who hoped the upper legislative chamber would restore funding that the House had stripped out of the state budget.
In a 7-7 tie, a proposal introduced by Springfield Republican Sen. Lincoln Hough to partially fund the voter-approved expansion failed to clear the Senate Appropriations Committee.
Two other Republicans, including Lee's Summit Sen. Mike Cierpiot, joined the committee's four Democrats in voting for it. Appropriations Chair Dan Hegeman, a Cosby Republican, opposed funding the expansion.