How Topeka senators voted in late bids to pass medical marijuana and Medicaid expansion

Kansas senators made last-ditch efforts to pass Medicaid expansion and a medical marijuana program on Friday, one of the last days bills could be considered until the Legislature adjourns.

Both motions would have needed to gain at least 24 votes for the bills to even be considered, and a supermajority vote of 27 to pass it.

Effort to bring Medicaid expansion bill to Senate floor falls short

Sen. Dinah Sykes, D-Lenexa, motioned to bring the Medicaid expansion bill up for debate, which requires a two-thirds majority to allow a debate on the Senate floor.

Medicaid expansion has been the top priority of Gov. Laura Kelly throughout this session, and she’s been touring around Kansas touting the policy as a lifeline for rural Kansas hospitals and lower-income Kansans without health insurance. It’s the fourth year in a row Kelly attempted to expand Medicaid.

Republican leadership, however, strongly opposes the policy and say its impact on rural hospitals is overstated with the current Medicaid reimbursement rate, would grow the government and allow nonworking able-bodied people to get heavily subsidized insurance.

Kansas is one of 10 states that haven’t opted into the Affordable Care Act’s Medicaid expansion. If enacted, it would expand eligibility for subsidized health insurance to people making up to 138% of the federal poverty level, which in 2024 was about $43,056 for a family of four.

"While I’m disappointed and ashamed of my Republican colleagues who blocked Medicaid expansion, I’m incredibly thankful for the thousands of Kansans who spoke up and supported this legislation over the last three months," Sykes said after the vote failed. "Kansans will remember how some Republican politicians once again chose to serve the special interests that fund their political campaigns rather than their constituents.“

Leadership in the House and Senate are staunchly against the program, but rank-and-file Republicans are split on it. The motion failed on an 18-17 vote, with several Republicans flipping sides.

How Topeka senators voted on bid to debate Medicaid expansion

Here's how Topeka legislators voted on the bill:

Yea: Republican Sens. Brenda Dietrich and Kristen O'Shea.

Present and Passing: Republican Sen. Rick Kloos.

Effort to bring medical marijuana debate to the floor fails

Like Medicaid expansion, the state has debated creating a medical marijuana program for several years but has had issues getting through the Senate. President Ty Masterson, R-Andover, is viewed as one of the major barriers to medical marijuana but indicated a change in direction this year.

“I have consistently indicated that the issue of medical marijuana has matured to a point it warrants serious discussion,” Masterson said after a hearing on medical marijuana. “It has been my hope to have sincere discussions about a policy framework that combines meaningful regulation with legitimate and safe delivery of medical benefits to the people who need it.”

Sen. Rob Olson, R-Olathe, brought the motion to the floor, but the rest of the Republican caucus voted down the motion with the exception of Sen. John Doll, R-Garden City. All Senate Democrats voted in favor of the motion.

How Topeka senators voted on allowing medical marijuana debate

Here's how Topeka legislators voted on the effort:

Nay: Republican Sens. Brenda Dietrich, Kristen O'Shea and Rick Kloos.

This article originally appeared on Topeka Capital-Journal: Two Democratic priorities fail final legislative push in Kansas Senate