GOP Set to Pass Unconstitutional Bill

The House GOP today came one step close to giving final approval to a bill that their own staff has said is blatantly unconstitutional.

The bill, SB106, sponsored by Sen. Jason Priest of Red Lodge, seeks to force the Montana Attorney General to join a Florida lawsuit that seeks to overturn the health reform law passed last year.

Attorney General Steve Bullock has refused to join the lawsuit, because he believes the law to be constitutional (a view that 3 federal judges have agreed with) and joining this lawsuit would be a waste of taxpayer money and his staff’s time.

This bill was flagged as being likely unconstitutional by the legislature’s own attorneys. These attorneys stated that it would be overreach by the Republican legislators to seek to force the Attorney General to take any actions. When the bill was in the Senate, the Democratic leader Carol Williams made sure the Republicans in the body knew about this ruling from the legislative attorney, but they ignored the legal advice and supported the bill.

Today, the House approved the bill on second reading on a party-line vote. Final approval of the bill will likely come tomorrow, at which point the bill will go to the Governor’s desk to either sign, or veto.