NASHVILLE - A House panel this morning approved two nearly identical bills that say Tennesseans can disregard health mandates in the new federal health care law.
The bills also direct the state attorney general to defend residents if they choose to do so.
At least 100 Tea Party and other activists cheered as the House Industrial Impact Subcommittee approved the measures on voice votes.
Lawmakers spent most of their time debating a third measure - a proposed state constitutional amendment that seeks to nullify the federal law.
Rep. JoAnne Favors, D-Chattanooga, a registered nurse and former health care administrator, noted that Tennessee has "some of the poorest chronically ill people in the country."
"Being a health care professional, I cannot understand how any legislator can come here and, having been exposed to all of the information we have been exposed to about the citizens in this state, to not be supportive of the citizens having access to health care," Rep. Favors said.
For complete details, see tomorrow's Times Free Press