[Vision2020] Otter Vetoes Revised Nullification Bill

[Tom Hansen]

Courtesy of the Spokesman-Review.

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Otter vetoes revised nullification bill

BOISE - Idaho Gov. Butch Otter has vetoed HB 298, the final version of a
much-debated legislative effort to “nullify” the federal health care
reform law.

The bill declared that Idaho wouldn’t comply with discretionary provisions
of the law for one year, made various declarations, and prohibited the
state from accepting federal money to implement the federal law or from
moving to set up a health care exchange.

However, Otter said Idaho can set up its own health care exchange
regardless of the national law - and if it doesn’t, under the law, the
federal government could step in and set up Idaho’s exchange as the feds
see fit.

“If we default to the federal government to run the exchange, it can
impose regulations and requirements that discourage or make it impossible
for insurers to offer affordable health coverage to individuals and small
employers in Idaho,” Otter wrote in his veto message. “If Idaho operates
its own exchange, we can preserve the private marketplace for health
insurance and look for ways to help it function more efficiently.”

Otter said he was for the idea of an exchange “before the concept was
co-opted by the national government.”

Yet, the Idaho Legislature this year rejected a budget for the state
Department of Insurance that included a $2.5 million federal grant to
allow Idaho to start setting up its own exchange; instead, lawmakers
ordered the department to use $500,000 of state money for that effort.

HB 298 is the first, and only, bill that Otter has vetoed, from all the
legislation enacted in this year’s Idaho legislative session.

An earlier version of the “nullification” legislation that sought to
declare the national law void passed the House despite two Idaho attorney
general’s opinions warning that it violated both the U.S. and Idaho
constitutions and lawmakers’ oath of office; after that bill died in a
Senate committee, HB 298, variously described as “grandson of
nullification,” “nullification-lite” and the “watered-down” version,
passed both houses.

“Even though I vetoed the bill today, I have issued an executive order 

prohibiting state agencies and departments from implementing Obamacare,
while allowing us to develop our own health care solutions,” Otter wrote
in his veto message. “That avoids the unintended consequences of this
legislation and strikes an appropriate balance between achieving the
spirit of HB 298 - which I support - and my desire to not capitulate to
the national government.”

He declared, “No one has opposed Obamacare more vehemently than me."

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Governor Otter's veto message.

http://media.spokesman.com/documents/2011/04/Otter-veto-message-4-20-11.pdf

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House Bill 298

http://www.legislature.idaho.gov/legislation/2011/H0298.pdf

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Proving once again that Idaho state Republicans don't read what they push
through the legislature.

Why read it?

Their handlers told them to approve it, not read it.

Seeya round town, Moscow.

Tom Hansen
Moscow, Idaho

"The Pessimist complains about the wind, the Optimist expects it to
changeand the Realist adjusts his sails."

 - Unknown