TALLAHASSEE, Fla. (AP) - The Florida Senate's budget panel has approved a plan that would provide health care to roughly 1.1 million Floridians using tens of billions of federal dollars.
The Appropriations committee advanced a controversial bill Tuesday by Sen. Joe Negron that would expand health coverage to Floridians under the federal health law.
Gov. Rick Scott has repeatedly stressed his support for Negron's bill. The bill has also won rare approval from the business community, labor advocates and health care providers. But Senators will likely have trouble finding favor in the House.
House Speaker Will Weatherford and several Republican leaders say they are opposed to accepting federal money tied to so-called "Obamacare." The House is instead proposing to use state dollars to insure 115,000 residents.
Negron's bill next goes to the Senate floor.
