Democrats in the Texas Legislature successfully codified Obamacare into state law with the aid of the GOP, expanding the power of the Texas Department of Insurance and legitimatizing the illegitimate healthcare “navigator” profession Texans now know is being used by liberals as a political tool.
Actively opposing the legislation during the legislative session was the Texas Conservative Coalition, a caucus of conservative House and Senate members. Texans for Fiscal Responsibility negatively rated the legislation on our Fiscal Responsibility Index because we saw it for what it was: an attempt to give state cover to a very bad idea.
Earlier this week State Rep. Kenneth Sheets (R-Dallas) contacted me asking that TFR reconsider our opposition to the Democrat-led SB 1795, the “navigator” legislation that codified ObamaCare’s liberal army into state law. The legislation was promoted by liberal Sens. Kirk Watson (D), Sylvia Garcia (D) and John Carona (R), and House Democrat Ryan Guillen.
Mr. Sheets wrote that he “worked diligently” to “ensure passage” of the legislation. (The bill was rightly opposed by 26 House Republicans.)
Republicans who supported the legislation were led to believe SB 1795 would “regulate” the navigator profession and prevent them from being political operatives. Right… Never mind that the “navigators” are an illegitimate profession obviously designed by the Obama Administration to function as political operatives!
As expected, the legislation didn’t work.
Ironically, Mr. Sheets contacted us hoping we’d embrace the Obamacare navigators at the same time documentary maker James O’Keefe was unveiling his latest undercover film project showing Texas “navigators” shilling for Battleground Texas and explaining how people can defraud the taxpayers.
Thanks to the video, people are losing their jobs.
So while Mr. Sheets’ legislation had the predictable effect of doing nothing to stop bad action (while legitimatizing a bad profession), it was a young crusading filmmaker who is shining light where SB 1795 created confusion.
So, no, we won’t re-consider our opposition to poorly considered legislation.
Indeed, the evidence gathered by Mr. O’Keefe should require that Mr. Sheets and his Republican colleagues reconsider their support of this Democratic boondoggle by immediately removing state sanction from the Obamacare navigators.
NOTE — Mr. Sheet’s 26 House Republican colleagues correctly opposing SB 1795:
Cecil Bell; Dwayne Bohac; Angie Chen Button; Giovanni Capriglione; Brandon Creighton; Tony Dale; Pat Fallon; Craig Goldman; Dan Huberty; Jason Isaac; Tim Kleinschmidt; Matt Krause; Jodie Laubenberg; Jim Murphy; Chris Paddie; Bennett Ratliff; Scott Sanford; Matt Schaefer; Ralph Sheffield; Ron Simmons; David Simpson; Drew Springer; Jonathan Stickland; Steve Toth; Scott Turner; James White.
