A bill has been introduced in the Louisiana House of Representatives that would effectively delay the implementation of Obamacare for nearly three years.
House Bill 719 (HB719) was introduced by Rep. Paul Hollis (R-104) on Mar. 10. It was promptly referred to the Health and Welfare Committee where it will need to pass through a majority before it can receive a full vote in the House.
The bill states that “no agency, officer, or employee of this state, acting on behalf of the state, shall engage in an activity that aids in the implementation or enforcement of the provisions of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010 and any subsequent federal act that amends the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act of 2010. The provisions of this Part shall terminate on December 31, 2016.”
Although this bill does not permanently halt Obamacare, it is a great first step and would cripple implementation of the health care law in the Pelican State. During the moratorium period, the state would not lift a finger implement or administer Obamacare. That would force the feds to apply their own resources and personnel in the state. As we’ve seen already, the federal government can’t seem to keep the system running smoothing even with state cooperation. It would prove that health care won’t cease to exist if the states don’t work with the feds, and when the national system is given three more years to demonstrate its failures, the moratorium will almost certainly become permanent. It will also give Louisiana a head start when the system falls apart. It won’t have to untangle itself from the mess. The state will already be free and clear.
Ultimately, HB719 will make it far more difficult for Obamacare to become law of the land in LA. Fox News Senior Judicial Analyst Judge Andrew Napolitano noted that such actions were not just legal, but effective.
“If enough states do this, it will gut Obamacare because the federal government doesn’t have the resources…to go into each of the states if they start refusing,” he said.
Based on the long-standing principle known as the anti-commandeering doctrine, the legislation is on strong legal grounds. In four major cases from 1842 to 2012, the Supreme Court has consistently held that the federal government cannot “commandeer” states, requiring them to enforce or expend resources to participate in federal law or regulatory programs.
If HB719 is passed, Louisiana residents will receive a reprieve from the unpopular law that will likely become permanent in time.
For Louisiana: To help HB719 through the legislature, click HERE.
For Other States: To help fight Obamacare in your state, click HERE
