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Acknowledging the will of the state legislature, a vote by the people, and his fiduciary duty, Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster inched closer to challenging the constitutionality of the federal health care law.
Click for video of Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster responding to question about fighting health care law
“We haven’t finally formulated what the plans are,” said Koster, following a question by Missouri Watchdog about his plans regarding the health care law during a press conference Tuesday in St. Louis.
Koster said his office is likely to do “something that recognizes the will of the legislature and recognizes that Missouri state law has now adopted” Proposition C, a legislatively-referred state statute, which challenges the federal health insurance mandate, passed by voters in August.
“Our office has a fiduciary duty to defend Missouri law. What we do, how we do it, is something that we are actively reviewing,” he said. “There’s a lot of subtleties and research that has to be gone through.”
Last week, the Republican-controlled Missouri Senate passed a resolution urging Koster, a Democrat, to challenge the health care law. Senate Resolution 27 also calls on him to defend the validity of Prop C.
The week before, the Missouri House, also controlled by Republicans, passed House Resolution 39, a similar measure, calling on Koster to join around 25 states challenging the constitutionality of the health care law.
“I think that we have heard what the General Assembly has said,” Koster said Tuesday.
“We are listening to the people and we will not lose that moment.”
Click for video of Missouri Attorney General Chris Koster outlining proposal to improve water at Lake of the Ozarks
Koster held the press conference in the St. Louis office of the attorney general to outline his 12 recommendations to protect the water quality at the Lake of the Ozarks, located in central Missouri.
The recommendations released Tuesday are based on information presented at a symposium held in August, public comments, and previous studies.
“My goal is that this symposium and this report will be used as a tool for state and local leaders to start making an effort now to protect water quality at the Lake of the Ozarks,” Koster said in his speech.
“I’m confident that if we work together in a positive and respectful manner we will protect this valuable resource for futures and generations to come.”
By Brian R. Hook, brhook@missouriwatchdog.org, (314) 482-7944
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