A Springfield, (Missouri) State Representative was in Joplin on Wednesday evening speaking about her first legislative session since being elected last November. KRPS’s Fred Fletcher-Fierro was there and has this report.

Besty Fogle defeated Republican Steve Helm by 76 votes last November to earn her a two-year seat in the 135th District, making her the newest Democratic State Representative in Jefferson City.

Fogle spoke about her excitement after Medicaid expansion was passed last August and political maneuvering by Republicans so that the constitutionally mandated law would not be funded. “And there was a very real moment for me when I realized, they are going to not do it. They are going to ignore the will of the voters. They are going to make their neighbors sicker and make it harder for them to get access to health care and it’s a bad fiscal decision for the state if we don’t expand Medicaid. We’re losing out on billions of dollars.” Fogle spoke at the monthly meeting of the Southwest Missouri Democrats at Cunningham Park in Joplin.