Top Senate Republican Expects Insulin Bill to Return in 2020

ST. PAUL, Minn. (AP) _ Legislation to help make emergency insulin supplies more affordable for diabetics who lack adequate insurance failed to make it across this finish line in last week's special session. But Republican Senate Majority Leader Paul Gazelka says he expects the issue will return next year.

The proposal was named after Alec Smith, a 26-year-old uninsured Minneapolis man who died in 2017 of diabetic complications because he was rationing his insulin. House Democratic and Senate Republicans negotiators blamed each other side for how the proposal was dropped. Efforts to restore the language failed early Saturday.
Gazelka said Tuesday that the details couldn't be worked out in time, which he says was true for many proposals that stalled.

Gov. Tim Walz is expected to sign the special session's budget bills Thursday or Friday.