Skip to main content
Tags: obamacare | exchanges | motion | kentucky

Ky. Democrats Protest GOP Motion on Healthcare Exchanges

By    |   Thursday, 20 September 2012 01:07 PM EDT

Kentucky Democrats walked out of a legislative hearing Wednesday in protest of a Republican motion challenging Gov. Steve Beshear’s authority to set up Obamacare-required health insurance exchanges.
 
The GOP state lawmakers claim Beshear overstepped his authority by setting up the Kentucky Health Benefit Exchange, calling his actions illegal, according to the Louisville Courier-Journal.
 
Democratic lawmakers said they walked out of the hearing because Republicans were trying to undermine a part of the Obamacare law the U.S. Supreme Court has upheld.
 
“It’s okay to voice your opinion, but this is the law now,” said state Rep. Tom Burch.
 
Democratic Rep. Kelly Flood, likewise, said she would not “go along with this charade” as she left the hearing with other members of her party.
 
When the Democrats were gone, the motion passed on a vote by Republicans left in the room.
 
In response, Beshear said he has a responsibility to follow the law and enforce it, and made it clear that he intends to do so.
 
“The Affordable Care Act is the law of the land,” the Democratic governor said. “There are hard deadlines that the state must meet in order to not only comply with the law, but also to ensure that the state runs its own health benefits exchange, not the federal government.”
 
The governor has already appointed an  advisory board to provide recommendations for the exchange, which will begin operating in 2014.
 

Sandy Fitzgerald

Sandy Fitzgerald has more than three decades in journalism and serves as a general assignment writer for Newsmax covering news, media, and politics. 

© 2025 Newsmax. All rights reserved.


TheWire
Kentucky Democrats walked out of a legislative hearing Wednesday in protest of a Republican motion challenging Gov. Steve Beshear’s authority to set up Obamacare-required health insurance exchanges.
obamacare,exchanges,motion,kentucky
234
2012-07-20
Thursday, 20 September 2012 01:07 PM
Newsmax Media, Inc.

Sign up for Newsmax’s Daily Newsletter

Receive breaking news and original analysis - sent right to your inbox.

(Optional for Local News)
Privacy: We never share your email address.
Join the Newsmax Community
Read and Post Comments
Please review Community Guidelines before posting a comment.
 

Interest-Based Advertising | Do not sell or share my personal information

Newsmax, Moneynews, Newsmax Health, and Independent. American. are registered trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc. Newsmax TV, and Newsmax World are trademarks of Newsmax Media, Inc.

NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© 2025 Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved
Download the Newsmax App
NEWSMAX.COM
America's News Page
© 2025 Newsmax Media, Inc.
All Rights Reserved