Passed: Study Committee on Obamacare

Radio Commentary, 90.7, 91.7 New Life FM, April 15, 2011
By Sue Ella Deadwyler

Good morning, Jim. This year’s session was over last night at midnight, but that’s not the end of work for senators and representatives. They’ll soon be back for committee meetings on bills that didn’t pass and others they want introduced in 2012. Then, later this summer a special session will convene to redraw maps for the 56 Senate districts and 180 House districts, that must be reapportioned based on last year’s census numbers.

Right now Georgia legislators are so concerned about federal meddling in state affairs that the Senate designated March 7th “Tenth Amendment Day” and focused on bills to preserve State sovereignty. Not all of those bills passed that day, but they’ll be alive for next session.

Senator Golden’s S.B. 17 passed March 30th, authorizing a Special Advisory Commission on Mandated Health Insurance Benefits that will work with the Department of Insurance to develop, maintain and evaluate data on Obamacare’s impact on employers and the health insurance industry.

Georgia’s first bill about Obama-style health insurance was H.B. 476, that created such a back-lash it was sent back to committee. But, the Special Commission of S.B. 17 will evaluate the issue and pave the way for future implementation of Obamacare, if that becomes necessary. The Commission’s 19 members, including three ex officio, will be appointed to four-year terms with the possibility of reappointment.

After it’s formed by February 1, 2012, the Commission will meet regularly at the governor’s request, have its first meeting by March 1, 2012 and receive the same expense allowance legislators get for committee meetings. The Commission must send its first report to legislative committees by December 31, 2012 and by that date annually, thereafter. No one wants Georgia to be forced into government-controlled healthcare, but Obamacare is scheduled to take effect in 2014 … unless the Supreme Court rules it unconstitutional. And even if it IS ruled unconstitutional, the question is: will Obama yield to the Court’s decision or force Obamacare on us, anyway? He could do that if he’s reelected next year. For Georgia Insight I’m Sue Ella Deadwyler, your Capitol correspondent.