A Republican lawmaker who was one of the key supporters of a plan to use federal Medicaid money to provide private insurance to thousands of low-income residents will lead the state Senate in the 2015 legislative session.
Sen. Jonathan Dismang of Beebe was elected Monday to lead the 35-member Senate in the 90th General Assembly that begins in 2015.
Dismang was the only candidate running for the Senate president pro tem position.
Dismang has served in the state Senate since 2011 and served a term in the House before then.
Dismang was one of the chief proponents of the "private option" plan that Gov. Mike Beebe plans to sign into law Tuesday.
Dismang and other supporters touted the approach as an alternative to expanding Medicaid's enrollment.