The state Senate approved Gov. Jan Brewer’s Medicaid expansion plan on an 18-11 vote this afternoon, sending it to the governor for her signature.
The Senate’s approval of Medicaid and a state budget occurred after the House of Representatives worked into the early morning hours to approve the budget and Medicaid plan, with supporters giving opponents the silent treatment through the entire discussion of the $8.8 billion budget.
In the House, a coalition of nine Republicans joined with the 24 House Democrats to approve the spending plan on a series of 33-27 votes, setting the stage for end the first special session of the 51st Legislature, which Brewer called into action at Tuesday evening.
The House adjourned at 3:39 a.m. Thursday after beginning the debate at 3:30 p.m. on Wednesday.
The bipartisan coalition refused to engage in debate or answer questions about the bills from the other 27 House Republican lawmakers. That enraged anti-expansion lawmakers, and left them with nobody to talk to but themselves for the more than nine-hour debate.
Republican Rep. Eddie Farnsworth of Gilbert called the silence from the pro-expansion crowd “an embarrassment.”
