Will Florida High Court Return Anti-Obamacare Proposal to Ballot?

Floridians opposed to new federal health-care laws backed by President Barack Obama had two reasons to celebrate on Wednesday. On Tuesday night, more than 70 percent of voters in Missouri passed a measure opposing the new health-care laws. On Wednesday, the Florida Supreme Court announced it would review a lower court decision that had removed a similar measure to the one that passed in Missouri from the November ballot. Led by Sen. Carey Baker, R-Eustis, and Rep. Scott Plakon, R-Longwood, the Legislature forwarded a proposed constitutional amendment to the voters before it was removed by a judge.

"Missouri is the first of many states that are stepping forward and rejecting Obama's individual mandate, and Floridians deserve the right to be heard on this important issue," said Plakon. "We are confident that the Florida Supreme Court will respect its own previous 2004 ruling when the court ordered the exact remedy the state is seeking. This remedy will satisfy the arguments of all parties, while upholding the constitutional right of the people of Florida to vote this amendment up or down."

"The Florida Legislature, as the elected representative body of the citizens of the state of Florida, has given the citizens of this state an opportunity to voice their belief that health-care freedom is a fundamental right, and in so doing, to protect that right under the Florida Constitution," said Baker. "The Supreme Court should do everything in its power to defend this right. The people of Florida deserve the same opportunity that Missourians were afforded last night: the opportunity to vote for health-care freedom.

The case will be argued before the Florida Supreme Court on Aug. 18.