PHOENIX - Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey says he will sign legislation restoring a health insurance program for about 30,000 low-income children as soon as it hits his desk.
The Republican governor's announcement Friday means Arizona will join 49 other states that have a version of the federal Children's Health Insurance Program.
Known as KidsCare in Arizona, the program but was frozen in 2010 because of a state budget crunch.
The House approved the bill Thursday after a floor fight pitted conservative Republicans who oppose the program against more moderate members of the majority caucus and all House Democrats.
The bill reached the Senate Friday and a similar bipartisan coalition maneuvered around Senate President Andy Biggs to bring the issue to a vote and send it to Ducey.
The governor had never openly backed the restoration.
KidsCare will insure children whose parents earn between 138 and 200 percent of the federal poverty line at no cost to the state at least through 2017.
