Effort falls short in House to block health care overhaul in Ga.

By Aaron Gould Sheinin

The Atlanta Journal-Constitution

For the second time in a week, the Republican-dominated General Assembly on Monday fell short in an attempt to pre-emptively block federal health care legislation that gained final passage Sunday night.

The Georgia House voted 111-61 in favor of HR 1086, a proposed constitutional amendment from Rep. Calvin Hill (R-Canton) that sought to bar the federal government from requiring individuals to buy private health insurance and forcing businesses to pay fines if their workers don’t have coverage.

But, because Hill’s proposal would have put a constitutional amendment on the November ballot, it required two-thirds of the 180 House members, or 120 votes, to advance. The Senate last week also failed to get a two-thirds majority for a similar resolution sponsored by Sen. Judson Hill (R-Marietta).

The vote capped a day at the Capitol in which health care was a dominant topic. Gov. Sonny Perdue and Senate Republicans blasted the U.S. House's vote that sent legislation enabling a massive health care overhaul to President Barack Obama’s desk for his signature. The president is expected to sign the bill Tuesday.

Opponents of the health care overhaul still have another piece of legislation in the works. Sen. Hill has also sponsored SB 317, which does not change the state constitution but says “no law shall compel any person to participate in any health care system.” That bill, which only needed a simple majority, passed the Senate last week and has been sent to the House.

On Monday, voting largely on party lines, the state House defeated Rep. Hill’s plan after two hours of debate. He immediately asked that his colleagues reconsider.

“A yes vote means you are standing up for your constituents and protecting them from an unfunded mandate from the federal government,” Hill said moments before the vote.

Earlier in the day, Perdue released a statement accusing the U.S. House of choosing “politics over the will of the American people."

"The enormous upheaval of our health care system was pushed through the House against the wishes of the majority of American families and businesses,” Perdue said.

The governor said he was renewing his call for Attorney General Thurbert Baker to consider filing suit in federal court to block the soon-to-be health care law, something a number of other state attorneys general have pledged. But those who are publicly committed to suing are Republicans; Baker is a Democrat.

Baker's spokesman, Russ Willard, said Monday that the attorney general's office has yet to receive a letter from Perdue. But he also said the governor’s December request was specifically about provisions no longer in the bill as passed by the U.S. House.