House rejects Senate changes to Tennessee Medicaid bill

Arkansas-Tennessee Live Blog

NASHVILLE - The House has rejected Senate changes to a bill to require the governor to seek legislative approval for any prospective deal to expand Medicaid in Tennessee.

Republican Rep. Jeremy Durham of Franklin at first sought to agree to the Senate changes that that would bar lawmakers from being reimbursed for meal and lodging expenses if a special session had to be called to consider a Medicaid deal.

But Durham withdrew that motion after Republican Rep. John Ragan of Oak Ridge cited a provision in the state constitution that bars the adjustment of expense levels during a sitting General Assembly.

The bill now goes back to the Senate, which could either agree to strip out the special session language, or send the bill to a conference committee.

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