A bill in the Alabama State Senate that would ban an important provision of the Affordable Care Act passed through committee and will receive a vote in the full Senate.
Senate Bill 220 (SB220) or the Alabama Freedom of Health Care Protection Act explicitly bans the creation of health care exchanges under the unpopular Obamacare law.
In addition to banning the exchanges, the bill “would authorize the Attorney General to file a civil action in the name of the state for injunctive relief on behalf of individuals harmed by the implementation of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010” and “also preclude state agencies, officers, and employees from conducting or participating in involuntary home visits under the maternal, infant, and early childhood in-home visitation program under the act.”
Other sections of the bill make a strong statement, but would have little practical effect. The legislation would prohibit enforcement of any Obamacare provision that exceeds the authority of the Constitution. But that becomes problematic because it leaves that determination up in the air.
States such as South Carolina and Georgia are taking comprehensive action this year to combat the ill-effects of Obama’s federal health care scheme that more closely resemble the Tenth Amendment Center four-step plan.
SB220 is definitely a step in the right direction. Banning exchanges represents a solid first step and the additional language could encourage more action in the future.
In spite of what Washington D.C. wants you to think, the fight against Obamacare is still being waged, and victory is within our grasp. It is not the ‘law of the land’ as many would have you believe and can still be stopped if enough states take action. This can only happen if measures like SB220 are passed and used as the springboard for more serious action down the road.
SB220 was introduced on Jan. 21 by Sen. Jerry Fielding (R-11). On Feb. 20, it was moved to the Judiciary Committee where it passed by a 5-0 margin. It is now headed to the full Senate where it will need to pass by a majority before it is sent to the House for concurrence and then to the governor’s desk to be signed into law.
