An Idaho House committee will consider a bill that would keep the federal government from compelling Idahoans to purchase health care insurance.

Rep. Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake, introduced the "Idaho Health Freedom Act" on Tuesday morning and the House State Affairs Committee agreed to print the bill. The bill is co-sponsored by Rep. Lynn Luker, R-Boise, and Rep. Raul Labrador, R-Eagle.

The act states, "every person in the state of Idaho is and shall continue to be free from government compulsion in the selection of health insurance options."

Further, "the bill removes authority of any state official or employee from enforcing any penalty which violates the policy."

"It is time all legislators who believe in states' rights to move from talking about it making policy to make it happen," Clark told the committee.

There was minimal debate on the measure, which was brought in response to the on-going effort in the U.S. Congress to pass health care reform. Part of that reform would require citizens to purchase health care insurance.

Read the complete bill at the idahostatesman.com