The original instrument and the following digest, which constitutes no part of the
legislative instrument, were prepared by Julie J. Baxter.
DIGEST
Nevers (SB 96)
Proposed constitutional amendment directs the Department of Health and Hospitals effective
January 1, 2015, to administer a state program which makes available to every legal resident of
this state whose income is at or below 138% of the federal poverty level access to health
insurance with essential health benefits, as provided by federal law.
Proposed constitutional amendment provides that the department shall make all necessary state
Medicaid plan amendments or wavier applications to the federal government in order to access
all federal funding available for the provision of health care services, including but not limited to
funds available through the Affordable Care Act, or any successor to that Act.
Proposed constitutional amendment provides that the legislature shall annually appropriate the
state and federal revenues necessary to fund this program to provide health insurance for this
eligible population, except that, if total funding to operate this state program is comprised of less
than 90% federal funds, the legislature shall have the authority to decide whether to continue the
program.
Provides for submission of the amendment to the voters at the statewide election to be held on
November 4, 2014.
(Adds Const. Art. XII, Sec.17)