The California Assembly on Thursday passed AB 1768 as an urgency measure, sending forward a tax bill lawmakers said is meant to help local governments respond to federal Medicaid reimbursement delays.
The floor record says the measure passed 54-12. During debate, members tied the bill to what the session record described as $1.6 billion in withheld Medicaid reimbursements from the federal government. Supporters also cited pressure on county finances and health-system funding, including references to Los Angeles County and Contra Costa County.
The Assembly floor summary does not spell out the bill’s full tax mechanism, and the practical effect on local governments was not detailed in the record provided. But the urgency vote indicates lawmakers viewed the measure as time-sensitive as they responded to the reimbursement shortfall.
