Washington, D.C.-The American Legislative Exchange Council (ALEC), the nation's largest individual membership association of state legislators, today congratulates Texas Representative Bryan Hughes for announcing his intention to file legislation to protect Texans from a federal requirement to purchase health insurance. Texas now becomes the 39th state where legislators have introduced, or will introduce, legislation modeled after ALEC's Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act.
"The bill that passed last night is a radical departure from the role of government our founders put in the Constitution," said Hughes. "There is no question that it will lead to increased taxes, fewer health care options, and more government control of our most basic personal decisions. For these reasons and so many others, I will file legislation protecting Texans from the federal bill as soon as we are back in session."
Thirty-nine states have either filed or announced their intentions to file ALEC's Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act, model legislation that would ensure a patient's right to pay directly for medical care and prohibit an individual from being penalized for not purchasing health insurance. If passed by the Texas Legislature, the bill would provide Texas with protection in a constitutional challenge of the federal health reform bill.
ALEC's Freedom of Choice in Health Care Act has already been enacted by the Virginia and Idaho legislatures, and Arizona's measure will appear before voters on the November ballot. The legislation has also passed one chamber in Georgia, Missouri, Oklahoma, and Tennessee and is soon expected to be heard on the floor in Alabama, Kansas, and Michigan.
A complete map with links to the legislation in each state is available online at www.alec.org.
