HARRISBURG — A divided Pennsylvania state House committee advanced a bill Wednesday to immediately expand Medicaid eligibility to hundreds of thousands of the working poor, although the move may end up being symbolic, given the opposition of Gov. Tom Corbett and House Republican leadership.

The Republican-controlled Human Services Committee passed the bill, 12-11, after committee Chairman Gene DiGirolamo, R-Bucks, and two other Republicans sided with all nine Democrats.

DiGirolamo contended that 30 of the chamber's 111-member Republican majority would join Democrats to pass it, should leadership allow a floor vote.