Alabama Medicaid Expansion activists plead "not guilty"

Community activists are pleading not guilty to misdemeanor charges over spray-painted messages near the Alabama Capitol. The graffiti urged the state to expand Medicaid. The four activists are with the Save OurSelves Movement for Justice and Democracy. They were arrested last year after writing "Expand Medicaid" and "Black Lives Matter" on a street by the Capitol. Alabama is one of 12 states that have not expanded Medicaid to cover low-income working people. Medicaid is health insurance funded by federal and state governments. Alabama's rural health care crisis was at the heart of a year long APR investigation that was recognized by the 50th annual Robert F. Kennedy Journalism award for Radio. Alabama Public Radio was also the first radio news operation to be honored with an additional award from RFK Human Rights, the "John Seigenthaler Prize for Courage in Journalism."