By Tony McVeigh
http://stream.publicbroadcasting.net/production/mp3/wuky/local-wuky-956160.mp3
Frankfort, KY – Legislative negotiations to balance Kentucky's Medicaid budget resume in earnest this morning in Frankfort. Kentucky Public Radio's Tony McVeigh is keeping tabs on the talks.
House and Senate conferees met briefly Friday evening, and agreed they don't see eye to eye. At issue is how to balance the state's Medicaid budget, which is facing a huge deficit. House Speaker Greg Stumbo remains optimistic the talks will be fruitful.
"We did give some instructions to our budget staff. Hopefully, they'll have some proposals. I don't know this for a fact, but I'm sure the Senate's doing the same thing."
Senate President David Williams is also keeping an open mind.
"We're going to do the same thing in the legislature that we have for every budget that the governor's presented since he's been here. His numbers will be ignored by the House and the Senate and we'll work this thing out among the House and senators on Monday."
But Williams also indicated Friday that if the talks don't go anywhere, lawmakers may as well adjourn and come back in a special session. Only three days remain in the 30-day regular session.