RALEIGH, N.C. (AP) - House Speaker Tim Moore is talking a hard line opposing Medicaid expansion as Democratic Gov. Roy Cooper presses for it during pending North Carolina budget negotiations.
The Cleveland County Republican told reporters on Thursday that “we’ve been very upfront from the very beginning that we’re not going to vote to expand Medicaid.” Senate Republicans already are adamantly opposed to the idea.
Cooper hasn’t said publicly if he’d veto a two-year budget that lacks expansion. Still, Moore says the governor is sending the message he won’t sign one without it.
GOP legislators could finalize a budget on their own without Cooper and approve it as soon as next week.
If Cooper vetoes it and Republicans can’t override him, a stalemate is possible extending into the new fiscal year beginning July 1.
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