Attorney general's office says Medicaid expansion petition flawed but fixable

The Oklahoma Supreme Court should reject a proposed initiative petition to expand Medicaid because the summary contradicts the petition regarding income eligibility for the public health insurance program, the Oklahoma attorney general’s office argued Thursday.

The petition is otherwise constitutional, the attorney general’s office said in a brief to the court, which asked for the AG’s views in the matter.

“The substance of the Petition at issue is legally valid and challenges to its constitutionality must be rejected, but the gist is inaccurate and therefore should be struck,” the AG’s brief states.

“This will allow Petitioners to correct the legal flaws in the gist, file a new petition, and circulate it with ample time before the 2020 general election, while also rejecting or avoiding new restrictions proposed by Protestants that will permanently burden the right to initiative and referendum.”

Read more: https://oklahoman.com/article/5632174/attorney-generals-office-says-medicaid-expansion-petition-flawed-but-fixable