What appeared to be a plain-vanilla insurance bill Friday became a new battleground for Republican Attorney General Bill McCollum’s assault on Democratic Congress’ health care overhaul.
Rep. Bryan Nelson, R-Apopka, successfully tacked a McCollum-sought provision onto the insurance legislation that would allow him to sue on behalf of individual Floridians who refuse the insurance coverage eventually guaranteed by the health care bill.
McCollum, a Republican candidate for governor, is already spearheading a lawsuit against the federal government, saying the measure advanced by President Obama is an unconstitutional infringement on state authority. Seventeen states have joined Florida in the lawsuit – all but three of them with Republican attorneys general. In those three states, Mississippi, Nevada and Arizona, Republican governors went ahead and ordered joining the suit.
The attorneys general legal push is considered a long shot in most circles. But Friday’s amendment may give McCollum a fallback to continue fighting even if Florida and the other states fail in federal court.
This is not the time or the place to bring this forward,” said Rep. Alan Williams, D-Tallahassee, who accused McCollum of hijacking the insurance measure (HB 885) sponsored by Rep. John Tobia, R-Satellite Beach.
“I’m very frustrated. I’m almost borderline disgusted.” Rep. Ralph Poppell, R-Vero Beach, fired back. “If you think health care is expensive, wait until it’s free and see what it will cost you.”
The amendment cleared the General Government Policy Council on a party-line vote. Tobia, however, said he was willing to have his life insurance proposal used to advance the health care fight. “This bill has my name on it and it has nothing to do with the attorney general,” Tobia said. “It’s for the people of Florida.”
Source: News Service Florida
