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State Rep. Berman Wants To Jail Bureaucrats Who Enforce New Health Law

Still Burning/flickr

The same Texas state representative whose interview with CNN's Anderson Cooper went viral after he expressed doubt that President Obama was born in the US is attracting more attention for his proposal that health care officials be imprisoned for enforcing the new health care law.

State Rep. Leo Berman (R-Tyler) has filed House Bill 297 with the clerk's office.  It says any federal employee or government contractor who enforces or attempts to enforce any "order, law, statute, rule, or regulation" of the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act commits a state felony punishable by up to 5 years in prison and a $5,000 fine.

In addition, any state employee who tries to enforce the new health care law could be found guilty of a Class A Misdeameanor under the legislation, with a maximum penalty of 2 years in jail and a $1000 fine.

The 75-year-old Berman, who describes himself as "Very Conservative" on his Facebook page, told Tyler's CBS affiliate KYTX that he believes in nullification and "just wanted to try it."

Nathan Bernier is the transportation reporter at KUT. He covers the big projects that are reshaping how we get around Austin, like the I-35 overhaul, the airport's rapid growth and the multibillion-dollar transit expansion Project Connect. He also focuses on the daily changes that affect how we walk, bike and drive around the city. Got a tip? Email him at nbernier@kut.org. Follow him on X @KUTnathan.
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