Supporters of a measure that would expand Medicaid coverage to include gun violence prevention programs are making a final push for the proposal in the final hours of the legislative session.
Lawmakers are potentially wrapping up their work this weekend as they look to wrap up the legislative session for the year.
Under the proposal, a Medicaid beneficiary who has been involved in or injured by community violence and received a health care referral would be eligible.
A coalition of advocacy organizations in a letter late Friday urged Assembly Speaker Carl Heastie to bring the bill to the floor for a vote in the coming days.
“This is also a matter of racial justice. Black Americans are 10 times more likely than white Americans to die from homicide by firearm and far more likely to be injured by gun violence,” the groups wrote on demand. “We are therefore proud that the Legislative Black, Puerto Rican, Hispanic and Asian Caucus has recognized this as vital legislation to pass as part of their priorities for the 2023 legislative session.”
Chanting the effort includes a number of groups that support stricter gun laws, including Giffords and Brady United, as well as Citizen Action of New York and Housing Works.
California, Connecticut and Illinois have received similar approval to use Medicaid for violence prevention programs.
