DES MOINES, Iowa (AP) – The Iowa Senate has approved a bill that calls for spending nearly $43 million on the state’s new regionalized mental health care system. The Senate passed the bill with bipartisan support Tuesday on a 37 to 17 vote. Last week, the Senate budget committee approved a plan for just under $30 million, but a larger spending plan was introduced in an amendment by Democrat Sen. Jack Hatch of Des Moines on the Senate floor Tuesday.

The bill funds part of the mental health redesign approved last year. It provides about $43 million in state funding over the next fiscal year for counties to administer mental health services not covered by Medicaid.  Gov. Terry Branstad did not designate any money in his budget for this part of the redesign.