Randy Alexander image

  • Rep. Randy Alexander, who voted NO even though he supports the bill, walks to the House yesterday

Monday, 9:50 a.m. (90%):
The bill passes 77-23. It’s on to the Senate, where it’s thought they have the votes. Looks very likely that the “private option” will be enacted in Arkansas.

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Monday, 9:25 a.m. :

Debate has started. Rep. Bell, speaking against, says the opponents of the bill have been in tears because of “threats and intimidation.”

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“When you look deep in your heart, do you want to be on the side of threats and intimidation or do you want to vote what’s in your heart,” he said. “You know what’s the right thing to do.”

Rep. Collins says he agrees that lawmakers should vote what’s in their heart. He says that voting NO is a vote for D.C. Obamacare, voting YES is a vote for the Arkansas private option.

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Rep. Payton says he lost friends and neighbors guarding the nation “against threats on foreign shores…Now there’s a threat right here in these halls.” He says that GIF money is being used to coerce votes.

Rep. Burris objected to the notion that YES votes are having their arms twisted, saying he had fought against GIF shenanigans. He said neither side should attack the others’ motives.

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Rep. Alexander says he decided two weeks ago that the private option was the best path forward but was voting NO because he said constituents hadn’t had enough time to hear about the policy.

Rep. Kim Hammer, undecided as of last night, spoke against the bill. He said 60 percent of the town hall last night was in favor of the bill but he had to think of 100 percent. He said, “While it is a good bill, it could be greater with a few more stopgaps and trigger points.”

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Rep. Bruce Westerman accuses some unnamed legislators of voting against their conscience. He also said he’d stand up to big bad bloggers. This practice round of his stump speech for Congress is well written but the delivery needs work.

Woah! And Westerman just accused colleagues of being Judas Iscariot. Nice.

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Also speaking for the bill: Rep. John Edwards, a rare voice from the Democratic side of the aisle; Rep. Sue Scott, previously a NO (with the best line of the debate: “when I look at the numbers, I see faces with those numbers”); Rep. Biviano; and Rep. Andy Davis.

Monday, 9:00 a.m. (50%)::

Hearing that they have the votes. We’ll see.

Max notes that Rep. Jonathan Barnett‘s bill on diverting general revenue to highways is on the Transportation committee agenda today. Horse trade? (Lobbyist Robert Coon tweets that this is in fact routine: “You get two chances to run a bill. It stays on the agenda until that has happened or you pull it.”

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***Previous entries after the jump. House debating now.

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