House passes $4.8 billion bill to plug gap in Medicaid funding

The bill was anticipated by lawmakers, who pass some sort of supplemental budget bill every session that plugs gaps in budget.

The bill passed unanimously in the House with no dissent and no changes, and it is not expected to hit any roadblocks in the Senate.

The bill provides about $4.5 billion to address the Medicaid shortfall, with the rest of the balance going to fund gaps in other budget areas, including the Foundation School Program.

The legislation was passed before the House is technically allowed to debate bills; it was declared an emergency item because of the timing of the shortfall. There are no other bills on the emergency agenda, raising concerns by Democrats who believe that the Legislature should immediately take up bills to restore $5 billion in cuts to public education and programs from 2011.

Democrats who have been pushing for the restoration of those funds, however, took a hands-off approach to the Feb. 21 bill, noting that blocking its passage or attempting to weigh it down with amendments would do a disservice to the millions of Texans who need to continue medical appointments.