Around 250 supporters of Medicaid expansion swarmed the State House complex Wednesday, advocating for bill that would extend a federal program to provide health insurance coverage for about 50,000 low-income Granite Staters.
The bill, Senate Bill 313, faces a crucial vote in the House today after surviving votes in the Senate and a string of committees. Supporters, who include Gov. Chris Sununu, say the program is vital to health care access and to drug and alcohol treatment programs and mental health services in New Hampshire.
At a rally held by the advocacy group New Futures, advocates in front of the State House sported green shirts denoting their home towns and the number of people in their town they say rely on it.
The bill, which passed the full House last month with minor changes, moves out of the House Finance with minor changes.
Medicaid expansion is one of many significant pieces of legislation up for a vote on Wednesday:
Allowing loaded firearms on off-road vehicles (HB 1313)
Establishing 16 as the minimum age for marriage (HB 1587)
Cutting down on surprise hospital bills (HB 1809)
Banning discrimination based on gender (HB1319)
Allowing a full year of birth control pills with a single prescription(HB 1822)
Permit driverleess car testing on N.H. roads by 2019 (HB 314)