Ducey signs bill restoring kids health insurance

More than 30,000 Arizona children from low-income families will be eligible for health insurance after a lightning-quick revival of KidsCare, which appeared all but dead earlier this week.

Gov. Doug Ducey signed the bill reinstating the program Friday, hours after Senate President Andy Biggs dropped his resistance to bringing the bill up for a vote.

The Senate's 16-12 vote came after the House on Thursday successfully amended the KidsCare reinstatement onto a bill in a contentious debate that revolved around whether it was prudent to tap into a federal program at no cost to the state.

Proponents said it made sense, both fiscally and morally. But critics said it further beholdens the state to government largesse, rather than promoting self-reliance.

Ducey, who had remained mum on whether he backed the program or not, signed the bill in his office with no comment. Instead, his office sent out a tweet showing him smiling, pen in hand.

The state Senate broke the logjam Friday when five GOP senators joined with the unified Democrats to suspend Senate rules and bring Senate Bill 1457 to a vote. Biggs, whose opposition to the federally funded program had prevented the measure from getting a vote all session, did not block them.

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Lawmakers froze enrollment in the program six years ago during the recession and have resisted efforts to open enrollment to new children. With the promise of federal funding to cover the full cost, advocates pushed hard to convince lawmakers to reinstate the program. To qualify, families must earn no more than 200 percent of federal poverty level, which is about $49,000 for a family of four.

Biggs called the vote "an interesting bookend" to his four years as Senate president, which started when then-Gov. Jan Brewer announced she would push for an expansion of Arizona's Medicaid program. Both that and KidsCare are federally funded programs that are touted as "free" to Arizona taxpayers, he said.

But the money comes from all taxpayers, and Biggs reiterated his philosophical objection to more government dependence, as well as concerns on how the state would afford the program if it fell back on the state to cover.

That said, Biggs said the procedure to bring KidsCare to a vote followed the rules. “While I’m not happy about it, it’s what’s fair and just under our rules," he said as he voted "no" on the bill.

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The Senate vote happened with no debate and no comment from KidsCare supporters.

Sen. Steve Yarbrough, R-Chandler, said he believes the amendment, tacked onto a bill that would provide vouchers to children with disabilities, is unconstitutional because it violates the single-subject rule of Arizona's Constitution.

And Sen. Nancy Barto, R-Phoenix, expressed her dismay with lawmakers' willingness to increase dependence on the federal government.

"We were not elected here to expand government programs," she said. "We were elected to reduce them."

The bill will take effect in early August, 90 days after the legislative session ends. The state must send an application to the federal Centers for Medicare and Medicaid to re-open the program.

Reach the reporter at maryjo.pitzl@arizonrepublic.com and follow her on Twitter @maryjpitzl

How They Voted: Senate

The Senate approved SB 1457 on a 16-12 vote.

YES

Democrats:

David Bradley, Tucson

Lupe Contreras, Avondale

Andrea Dalessandro, Green Valley

Steve Farley, Tucson

Katie Hobbs, Phoenix

Barbara McGuire, Kearny

Robert Meza, Phoenix

Catherine Miranda, Phoenix

Lynne Pancrazi, Yuma

Martin Quezada, Phoenix

Andrew Sherwood, Tempe

Republicans:

Carlyle Begay, Ganado

Jeff Dial, Chandler

Adam Driggs, Phoenix

Steve Pierce, Prescott

Bob Worsley, Mesa

NO

Republicans:

Sylvia Allen, Snowflake

Nancy Barto, Phoenix

Andy Biggs, Gilbert

Judy Burges, Sun City West

David Farnsworth, Mesa

Gail Griffin, Hereford

John Kavanagh, Scottsdale

Debbie Lesko, Peoria

Don Shooter, Yuma

Steve Smith, Maricopa

Steve Yarbrough, Chandler

Kimberly Yee, Phoenix

How They Voted: House

The House approved SB 1457 on 38-21 vote.

YES

Democrats:

Lela Alston, Phoenix

Richard Andrade, Glendale

Jennifer Benally, Tuba City

Reginald Bolding, Laveen

Mark Cardenas, Phoenix

Ken Clark, Phoenix

Diego Espinoza, Tolleson

Charlene Fernandez, Yuma

Randall Friese, Tucson

Rosanna Gabaldon, Green Valley

Sally Ann Gonzales, Tucson

Albert Hale, St. Michaels

Matthew Kopec, Tucson

Jonathan Larkin, Glendale

Stefanie Mach, Tucson

Debbie McCune Davis, Phoenix

Juan Mendez, Tempe

Eric Meyer, Paradise Valley

Lisa Otondo, Yuma

Celeste Plumlee, Tempe

Rebecca Rios, Phoenix

Macario Saldate, Tucson

Ceci Velasquez, Litchfield Park

Bruce Wheeler, Tucson

Republicans:

Jonathan Ackerley, Sahuarita

Kate Brophy McGee, Phoenix

Heather Carter, Cave Creek

Noel Campbell, Prescott

Regina Cobb, Kingman

Doug Coleman, Apache Junction

Karen Fann, Prescott

Rick Gray, Sun City

Jill Norgaard, Phoenix

Justin Olson, Mesa

Frank Pratt, Casa Grande

Bob Robson, Chandler

T.J. Shope, Coolidge

Kelly Townsend, Mesa

NO

Republicans:

John Allen, Scottsdale

Brenda Barton, Payson

Sonny Borrelli, Lake Havasu City

Rusty Bowers, Mesa

Paul Boyer, Phoenix

Eddie Farnsworth, Gilbert

Mark Finchem, Oro Valley

David Gowan, Sierra Vista

Anthony Kern, Glendale

Jay Lawrence, Scottsdale

Vince Leach, Tucson

David Livingston, Peoria

Phil Lovas, Peoria

J.D. Mesnard, Chandler

Darin Mitchell, Litchfield Park

Steve Montenegro, Litchfield Park

Warren Petersen, Gilbert

David Stevens, Sierra Vista

Bob Thorpe, Flagstaff

Michelle Ugenti-Rita, Scottsdale

Jeff Weninger, Chandler