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Senate advances Farm Bureau health-plan bill after tabling preexisting-conditions amendment
Summary
The Senate advanced HB 477, a Farm Bureau health-plan bill aimed at lowering farmers' health-care costs, after tabling an amendment on preexisting conditions. The committee recorded a 12-2-1 vote on a favorable report, and the amendment was tabled before the final vote.
The Senate advanced HB 477 — legislation to allow a Farm Bureau health plan aimed at lowering health-care costs for farmers — after tabling an amendment addressing preexisting conditions and voting 12-2 with one abstention, according to the meeting record.
Representative Faulkner, who presented the bill, told senators the measure responds to farmers “paying far too much for health care costs” and said the plan mirrors options already adopted in several other states. “This bill is in a good position,” Faulkner said, adding that the sponsors had made 18 amendments and removed one. He said the package “has the most oversight of any bill by far. It has the most protections by far” and that the sponsors had addressed concerns from Blue Cross Blue Shield.
The bill drew a single substantive amendment on the floor when Senator Williams proposed language related to preexisting conditions. “My amendment just strictly deal with preexisting conditions,” Williams said. The Senate then voted to table that amendment on a motion by Williams, seconded by Senator Barfoot; the chair announced, “The ayes have it at the table. The amendment is tabled.”
After the amendment was tabled, a motion to give HB 477 a favorable report was made and seconded. The clerk conducted a roll call and the Senate recorded a favorable report with a tally the chair announced as 12 yes, 2 no and 1 abstention. Not all individual votes were audible in the available transcript; the record includes multiple senators saying “Aye” when their names were called and at least one senator, Senator Singleton, saying “No.”
There was no further debate recorded after the tabling of the amendment. The chair closed the item and adjourned the session.
Votes at a glance: HB 477 — motion for favorable report. Motion moved by Senator Carnley; seconded by Senator Elliott. Tabling of preexisting-conditions amendment: motion to table moved by Senator Williams; seconded by Senator Barfoot. Final tally on the bill as announced in the record: 12 yes, 2 no, 1 abstention.
Next steps: The Senate record indicates the bill received a favorable report and will move forward in the legislative process; no dates for further consideration were specified in the transcript.
