Barbieri: ‘Kinder, gentler’ bill

When Rep. Cherie Buckner-Webb, D-Boise, told Rep. Vito Barbieri that she thought it was the Supreme Court that decides what’s constitutional and what’s not, the crowd at this morning’s nullification hearing gave an angry murmur. Barbieri said his latest bill no longer seeks to nullify the federal law. “If the Supreme Court declares it’s constitutional, Idaho will follow that law,” he said of the national health care reform law. “I have misgivings about whether Idaho should do that, but the bottom line is Idaho will follow the law of the land.” Barbieri said his new bill is the “kinder, gentler” version, as opposed to his original bill, which sought to nullify the federal law and impose misdemeanor penalties on state employees who follow it.

However, he said, “We’re not making a statement to the federal government. We are making a statement to state agencies and departments that they must stop acting in furtherance with these laws.”