Idaho governor signs bill against health care insurance legislation

Brian Murphy | Idaho Statesman

Democrats in Washington, D.C., hope to pass health care reform soon, but Republican state leaders in Idaho are preparing to go to court to fight it.

Gov. Butch Otter signed the Idaho Health Freedom Act on Wednesday in his first public bill signing of the 2010 session.

"If I am (first), I'm glad," said Otter, who was flanked by several Republican lawmakers.

At least 36 other states are considering similar legislation in response to the drive by President Obama and congressional Democrats to expand health insurance to 30 million uninsured Americans, in part by requiring them to buy insurance. Virginia has enacted similar legislation, but it became law without a signature by Gov. Bob McDonnell.

"How can somebody mandate us because we're breathing to buy health insurance?" said Rep. Jim Clark, R-Hayden Lake, one of the Idaho bill's co-sponsors. "Now we're saying in code: We're not going to stand for that."

Read the complete story at idahostatesman.com

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