Scarnati: SCOTUS Ruling Severely Flawed
By ANNE HOLLIDAY
WESB/WBRR News Director
Senator Joe Scarnati is one of the people who is not happy with Thursday’s Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Health Care Act.
Back in March, the state Senate approved a measure by Scarnati that would amend the state Constitution to prohibit Pennsylvanians from being required to obtain health insurance coverage or from being penalized for not doing so.
“It becomes very apparent that our state’s rights and individual rights continue to be trampled, not only in Pennsylvania but across the nation,” he said today of the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Scarnati said Senate Bill 10 would give voters an opportunity to say “yes” or “no” to the “individual mandate” provision of the health care act, which says Americans must purchase health insurance by 2014 or face escalating financial penalties as high as 2.5 percent of their total household income.
The Supreme Court ruling did say imposing a penalty was unconstitutional, but if it’s called a tax it would be constitutional.
Scarnati said while his bill was introduced in response to “Obamacare,” its main purpose is to address the issue of federal government overreach and intrusion on state rights and individual liberty.
He said today that by voting in favor of the bill lawmakers “can give Pennsylvanians the right to stand up and voice their opinion on this severely flawed ruling.”
While the bill passed the Senate in March it is still sitting in House, which tabled it last week.
“I would hope that the House of Representatives moves Senate Bill 10 to allow every Pennsylvanian to stand up for their rights and the rights of individual states,” Scarnati said.
In order to amend the constitution a bill must pass in two consecutive sessions of the Legislature and then be approved by voters.
Legislators in more than 20 states have sponsored similar proposals, while voters already have passed such amendments in Arizona, Ohio and Oklahoma. Four more will have a similar question on November ballots, Scarnati said.
Thanks to Hanson Quickel!
The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...
since 1947
WESB/WBRR News Director
Senator Joe Scarnati is one of the people who is not happy with Thursday’s Supreme Court decision on the Affordable Health Care Act.
Back in March, the state Senate approved a measure by Scarnati that would amend the state Constitution to prohibit Pennsylvanians from being required to obtain health insurance coverage or from being penalized for not doing so.
“It becomes very apparent that our state’s rights and individual rights continue to be trampled, not only in Pennsylvania but across the nation,” he said today of the Supreme Court’s ruling.
Scarnati said Senate Bill 10 would give voters an opportunity to say “yes” or “no” to the “individual mandate” provision of the health care act, which says Americans must purchase health insurance by 2014 or face escalating financial penalties as high as 2.5 percent of their total household income.
The Supreme Court ruling did say imposing a penalty was unconstitutional, but if it’s called a tax it would be constitutional.
Scarnati said while his bill was introduced in response to “Obamacare,” its main purpose is to address the issue of federal government overreach and intrusion on state rights and individual liberty.
He said today that by voting in favor of the bill lawmakers “can give Pennsylvanians the right to stand up and voice their opinion on this severely flawed ruling.”
While the bill passed the Senate in March it is still sitting in House, which tabled it last week.
“I would hope that the House of Representatives moves Senate Bill 10 to allow every Pennsylvanian to stand up for their rights and the rights of individual states,” Scarnati said.
In order to amend the constitution a bill must pass in two consecutive sessions of the Legislature and then be approved by voters.
Legislators in more than 20 states have sponsored similar proposals, while voters already have passed such amendments in Arizona, Ohio and Oklahoma. Four more will have a similar question on November ballots, Scarnati said.
Thanks to Hanson Quickel!
The news leader of the Twin Tiers ...since 1947
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