On Monday, the Tennessee Health Care Freedom Act cleared its last hurdle in the Tennessee General Assembly. The House voted 70 to 27 to pass the legislation, following on the heels of the Senate passage of SB0079 on February 23. This bill provides vital protections to Tennesseans who choose not to comply with the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act passed by Congress last year. The Tennessee Health Care Freedom Act states:
It is declared that the public policy of this state, consistent with our constitutionally recognized and inalienable right of liberty, is that every person within this state is and shall be free to choose or to decline to choose any mode of securing health care services without penalty or threat of penalty.
It is declared that the public policy of this state, consistent with our constitutionally recognized and inalienable right of liberty, is that every person within this state has the right to purchase health insurance or to refuse to purchase health insurance. The government may not interfere with a citizen’s right to purchase health insurance or with a citizen’s right to refuse to purchase health insurance. The government may not enact a law that would restrict these rights or that would impose a form of punishment for exercising either of these rights. Any law to the contrary shall be void ab initio.
The bill will be heading to Governor Bill Haslam’s desk shortly.
It is crucial that we contact the governor’s office to express our support for this bill. We are about to cross the finish line for the Tennessee Health Care Freedom Act, but we still need one last push to bring this victory to fruition here in Tennessee.
Gov. Bill Haslam
Phone: (615) 741-2001
E-Mail: bill.haslam@tn.gov
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CLICK HERE to view the Tenth Amendment Center’s Health Care Freedom Act legislative tracking page
The Tenth Amendment Center has released the Federal Health Care Nullification Act, which directly nullifies the “Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act” on a state level. Click here to learn more about the bill. CLICK HERE to track the Nullification Act in states around the country.
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