AUGUSTA (AP) — Maine Democrats are advancing a new bill to expand Medicaid coverage to roughly 70,000 low-income residents under the federal health care law, but its chance of getting past Republican Gov. Paul LePage is slim.
The bill sponsored by Senate Democratic Leader Troy Jackson of Allagash was given initial approval in a 21-14 vote on Tuesday.
The newest attempt comes after lawmakers failed to override LePage’s veto of a Medicaid expansion proposal last week. That measure included several provisions designed to attract Republican votes, but failed to gain much traction in the Legislature.
Lawmakers also failed twice to get the two-thirds of majority support necessary to override LePage’s vetoes of Medicaid expansion bills last year.
The new bill faces further votes in both chambers before heading to LePage.
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