UMKC law professor explains Missouri Medicaid expansion ruling

AND TODAY A JUDGERULED GOVERNORPARSON AND STATELAWMAKERS CANREFUSE TO FIND A WAY TOPAY FOR MEDICAIDEXPANSION.MISSOURI VOTERSAPPROVED THEEXPANSION --WHICH WAS SUPPOSED TOGO INTO EFFECT NEXTMONTH.BUT LAWMAKERS NEVEFUNDED IT.TODAY, THE JUDGE RULEDTHE LAW WAS NEVERVIOLATED BECAUSE THEAPPROVED AMENDMENTDIDN'T LT HOW THESTATE WOULD PAY FORTHE EXPANSION.THOSE BEHIND THELAWSUIT PLAN TO APPEAL.ANCHOR CAITLIN KNUJOINS US IN THE STUDIO.CAITLIN -- WHAT DOESTHAT MEAN IN LAYMAN'STERMS?WELL, ACCORDING TO ALAW PROFESSOR ATUMKC... IT BASICALLYMEANS THIS JUDGEDECIDED NOT ONLY DIDTHE AMENDMENT NOTSPELL OUT EXACTLY HOWTHE EXPANSION WOULD BEPAID FOR.MORE IMPORTANTLY..

THEJUDGE ESSENTIALLY SAIDTHE PEOPLE DON'T HAVETHE POWER TO TELL THLEGISLATURE HOW TOSPEND THE STATE'SMONEY.Ann Marie Marciarille, UMKC ProfofLaw:"So he takes t position he'snotgoing to order it but a quartdoesn't order it but a quarthave that authority as well notonlydid the people in the way thisamendment was crafted didn'thavethe authority he doesn't havetheauthority to tell thelegislature OKnow you're going to use you'regoingto use your appropriationauthoritythis way."ON THE FLIP SIDE, THATLAW PROFESSOR POINTEDOUT..

THE PEOPLE AREN'TEXACTLY TELLINGLAWMAKERS HOW TOSPEND MONEY..

BECAUSETHERE'S ALREADY MONEYBUDGETED FORMEDICAID... MUCH OF THATCOMING FROM THEFEDERAL GOVERNMENT.THIS EXPANSION WOULDHAVE JUST ALLOWEDMORE PEOPLE..

INCLUDINGTHOSE WHO ARE SINGLEAND WORKING LOWINCOME JOBS... ACCESSTO MEDICAID.WHAT'S REALLYINTERESTING..

THATEXPERT SAID NOT ONLYWILL THIS LIKELY GO TOTHE STATE SUPREMCOURT..

THE ENTIRECOUNTRY IS WATCHINGTHIS ISSUE... BECAUSE ITCOULD SET A PRECEDENTFOR REFERENDUM'S INTHE FUTURE AND HOWVOTERS CAN INFLUENCEHOW FUNDS ARE SPENT.