The Senate already passed the bill in February. The Tennessee Health Freedom Act would require the Attorney General to sue the federal government if the feds were to penalize any Tennessean for not obtaining health care insurance under the federal health care reform act that was passed and signed into law at the end of March.
About a hundred conservative activists who filled the halls outside of the Commerce Subcommittee meeting room erupted into cheers and applause as the measure passed. They followed suit when a republican bill to amend the constitution to prohibit forced participation in health care insurance also passed. That bill is sponsored by Rep Susan Lynn who also favors a state nullification that they think would allow Tennessee to ignore federal law, as Tripple N previously wrote about here.
All of this legislation is part of a political movement that seeks, and sought even before national health care reform was passed; to mute, limit and hopefully nullify reform coming out of Washington. The most widely disputed aspect may be the individual mandate to buy health insurance, or be penalized with fines.
Unlike other aspects of the health care reform bill, which will begin to take effect almost immediately, the individual mandate won't go into effect until 2014. Many states Attorney Generals have, or are pledging to take suit against the federal government to block implementation of federal reform measures.
Florida Attorney General Bill McCollum filed a lawsuit just two days after Congress passed the health reform bill, and on the same day that President Obama signed it into law, alleging that the legislation is unconstitutional. His suit was joined by 13 other states attorney generals. Virginia’s attorney general has filed a separate suit.
The next Tennessee Commerce Committee vote on the proposed bills is next Wednesday. Read more: http://www.blogdoctor.me/2007/02/expandable-post-summaries.html#ixzz0fvTXmFSF
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