The Legislature passed a bill Friday extending Medicaid coverage from two months to 12 months for a couple thousand new mothers a year.

Senate Bill 58, proposed by Gov. Mike Dunleavy, is intended to prevent gaps in health care coverage and to address the state’s high and rising maternal mortality rate.

State Department of Health officials told lawmakers that 51% of births in Alaska are covered by Medicaid; those new mothers would benefit from the legislation.

The Senate passed the final bill 19-1 on Friday. The House passed the legislation five days earlier on a 35-3 tally. The only no vo...