H 4171 General Bill, By Scott and Long
 A BILL TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION
 38-71-15 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IF PROVISIONS OF FEDERAL LAW MANDATE THAT ALL
 CITIZENS WITH CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS PURCHASE OR SECURE HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE
 THROUGH A RANGE OF OPTIONS ONE OF WHICH IS TO PURCHASE OR SECURE HEALTH
 INSURANCE COVERAGE THROUGH A PUBLIC PLAN UNDERWRITTEN IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY
 THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND THE PUBLIC PLAN PERMITS STATES TO "OPT OUT" OF
 THIS PUBLIC OPTION, THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA HEREBY "OPTS OUT" AND DECLINES
 TO HAVE THIS PUBLIC PLAN OPTION APPLY TO OR BE AVAILABLE TO THE CITIZENS OF
 THIS STATE.

   11/17/09  House  Prefiled
   11/17/09  House  Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and Industry
   11/18/09         Scrivener's error corrected
   01/12/10  House  Introduced and read first time HJ-17
   01/12/10  House  Referred to Committee on Labor, Commerce and
                     Industry HJ-17

H. 4171

TO AMEND THE CODE OF LAWS OF SOUTH CAROLINA, 1976, BY ADDING SECTION 38-71-15 SO AS TO PROVIDE THAT IF PROVISIONS OF FEDERAL LAW MANDATE THAT ALL CITIZENS WITH CERTAIN EXCEPTIONS PURCHASE OR SECURE HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE THROUGH A RANGE OF OPTIONS ONE OF WHICH IS TO PURCHASE OR SECURE HEALTH INSURANCE COVERAGE THROUGH A PUBLIC PLAN UNDERWRITTEN IN WHOLE OR IN PART BY THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT, AND THE PUBLIC PLAN PERMITS STATES TO "OPT OUT" OF THIS PUBLIC OPTION, THE STATE OF SOUTH CAROLINA HEREBY "OPTS OUT" AND DECLINES TO HAVE THIS PUBLIC PLAN OPTION APPLY TO OR BE AVAILABLE TO THE CITIZENS OF THIS STATE.

Be it enacted by the General Assembly of the State of South Carolina:

SECTION    1.    Article 1, Chapter 71, Title 38 of the 1976 Code is amended by adding:

"Section 38-71-15.    If provisions of federal law mandate that all citizens with certain exceptions purchase or secure health insurance coverage through a range of options one of which is to purchase or secure health insurance coverage through a public plan underwritten in whole or in part by the federal government, and the public plan permits states to 'opt out' of this public option, the State of South Carolina hereby 'opts out' and declines to have this public plan option apply to or be available to the citizens of this state."

SECTION    2.    This act takes effect upon approval by the Governor.