The Alaska House plans to continue pursuing a legal challenge to Gov. Bill Walker’s authority to accept federal funding, which he used to expand Medicaid without legislative approval.
Lawmakers faced a deadline for of whether or not to appeal a judge’s decision from March that tossed out the challenge brought last summer by the Legislative Council. An appeal has been filed on behalf of the House.
A state court judge in March dismissed the case brought by the Legislative Council, upholding Walker’s action and finding that the federal Social Security Act requires Medicaid expansion.
Nikiski’s Speaker of the House Mike Chenault says that is not the issue they are challenging…
Spkr. Chenault: “It’s not a Medicaid expansion issue, Medicaid has been expanded. The real issue is a separation of powers issue that deals with the legislature having the authority for appropriations. So with the lawsuit, I hate that it was tied up with the Medicaid expansion issue but that is not what the legislature is suing the governor over.”
Senate Majority Leader John Coghill recommended earlier this week that lawmakers drop the case. While he said he supported the lawsuit, he felt it was generating dissonance between lawmakers as they work to agree on a state operating budget.