Judge weighs decision on whether Nebraska voters will see Medicaid expansion petition on ballot
LINCOLN — A Lancaster County district judge heard arguments Monday in a case that could determine if Nebraskans will get to vote on a Medicaid expansion proposal.
At the end of an hourlong hearing, District Judge Darla Ideus said she would decide the case as soon as possible. The deadline for state officials to certify issues and candidates for the November ballot is Sept. 14.
Two opponents of Medicaid expansion — State Sen. Lydia Brasch of Bancroft and former Sen. Mark Christensen of Imperial — filed the case in July.
In their suit, the pair ask the court to keep the proposal off the ballot by declaring it “invalid and legally insufficient.”
They argue, among other things, that the expansion proposal contains more than one subject, is in violation of the Nebraska Constitution, and does not properly disclose the Nebraska Appleseed Center for Law in the Public Interest as a petition sponsor.
The case was filed shortly after leaders of Insure the Good Life submitted more than 135,000 signatures on a petition seeking to expand Medicaid to about 90,000 more Nebraskans.
The petition drive must have 84,268 valid signatures of registered voters to put the issue to voters this fall. They also must have signatures from at least 5 percent of registered voters in each of 38 counties.
Secretary of State John Gale announced last week that the drive had more than met the county distribution requirement. The signature total is expected this week after county election officials wrap up their signature-checking efforts.
https://www.omaha.com/news/legislature/judge-weighs-decision-on-whether-nebraska-voters-will-see-medicaid/article_a149efc7-7ef7-5ad8-8f5c-185b1c4e2133.html