LITTLE ROCK (KFSM) -- The Arkansas House and Senate passed Governor Asa Hutchinson's "Arkansas Works" bill Thursday (April 7).
"Arkansas Works" is a hybrid of the current Medicaid expansion, which is called the private option, but with addition restrictions suggested by the governor. The new legislation keeps the private option to keep the state in line with the federal health care law, but it puts new limits on who qualifies for it.
"Arkansas Works" passed the Arkansas House of Representatives 70 to 30 and the Senate 25 to ten.
However, the program still needs to be funded, which will come during a fiscal session that will start April 13. "Arkansas Works" will need three-fourths of the vote in each chamber, that means 75 votes in the House and 27 votes in the Senate.
To read "Arkansas Works," also known as HB 1001, click here.