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UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 1594
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AN ACT proposing to create a new section of the Constitution of Kentucky relating 1
to Medicaid expansion. 2
Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of Kentucky: 3
Section 1. Are you in favor of amending the present Constitution of Kentucky 4
to add a new section requiring the Commonwealth to exercise any federally available 5
option to expand eligibility for the Medicaid program and prohibiting additional burdens 6
or restrictio ns on eligibility or enrollment standards except as may be required under 7
federal law? 8
SECTION 2. IT IS PROPOSED THAT A NEW SECTION BE ADDED TO 9
THE CONSTITUTION OF KENTUCKY TO READ AS FOLLOWS: 10
(1) In order to provide for the health and welfare of the residents of the 11
Commonwealth, the Commonwealth of Kentucky shall exercise any federally available 12
option, now existing or existing in the future, to expand eligibility for the Medicaid 13
program. Any person who qualifies under this section shall receive coverage that meets 14
or exceeds the benchmark or benchmark -equivalent coverage requirements, as those 15
terms are defined by federal law. 16
(2) The Commonwealth of Kentucky shall not impose greater or additional 17
burdens or restrictio ns on eligibility or enrollment standards, methodologies, or 18
practices on any person eligible under this section than those imposed on any person 19
otherwise eligible for Medicaid under Kentucky law, except that the Commonwealth of 20
Kentucky may, to the exten t required by federal law or regulation, impose a work 21
requirement or cost-sharing requirement on any person eligible under this section. 22
Section 3. This amendment shall be submitted to the voters of the 23
Commonwealth for their ratification or rejection at the time and in the manner provided 24
for under Sections 256 and 257 of the Constitution, KRS 118.415, and Sections 4 and 5 25
of this Act. 26
Section 4. Notwithstanding any provision of KRS 1 18.415 to the contrary, the 27
UNOFFICIAL COPY 26 RS BR 1594
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Secretary of State shall cause the question in Section 1 of this Act and the entirety of the 1
proposed amendment to the Constitution of Kentucky contained in Section 2 of this Act 2
to be published at least one time in a newspaper of general circulation published in this 3
state, and shall also cause to be published at the same time and in the same manner the 4
fact that the amendment will be submitted to the voters for their acceptance or rejection at 5
the next regular election at which members of the General Assembly are to be voted for. 6
The publication required by this section and KRS 118.415 shall be made no later than the 7
first Tuesday in August preceding the election at which the amendment is to be voted on. 8
Section 5. Notwithstanding any provision of KRS 118.415 to the contrary, not 9
later than the second Monday after the second Tuesday in August preceding the next 10
regular election at which members of the General Assembly are to be c hosen in a year in 11
which there is not an election for President and Vice President of the United States, or not 12
later than the Thursday after the first Tuesday in September preceding a regular election 13
in a year in which there is an election for President and Vice President of the United 14
States, the Secretary of State shall certify the complete text of Section 1 of this Act and 15
the entirety of the proposed amendment to the Constitution of Kentucky contained in 16
Section 2 of this Act to the county clerk of ea ch county, and the county clerk shall have 17
the entirety of the text and the amendment, as so certified, indicated on the ballots 18
provided to the voters in paper or electronic form as applicable to the voting machines in 19
use in each county or precinct. 20