SB 2018-235: Ensuring Cancer Pay Act (Debating)

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

What is going on with this? While I might be obliged to consider assuming sponsorship as Haslam's successor there are several questions that I would have on this regards in terms of whether or not it is viable to fund this and whether or not the burden is too great for business to carry and would thus lead the expedition of the process of automation and the shedding of jobs/declining wages that such entails.

We most certainly have a need to ensure that we are providing for and helping those with chronic and terminal illness. We have done much to help with the preventative aspect through the passage of the Reforming and Regionalizing Public Healthcare Act of 2017, with its coverage for preventative medicine. I have long held that preventative medicine is critical and should be funded at no charge either by private or public medicine, because it is 1) good policy to help people stay well as opposed to treating them in the emergency room, 2) it is good budgeting since it is cheaper to prevent than it is to cure, 3) it is good economics because it means fewer lost wages and lost jobs because of debilitating illness.

However, we still will have a lot of people who develop and who have already developed these illnesses and therefore there must be a reasonable policy solution that ensures that that they receive the care, the treatment and the support that they need and deserve. However, it is necessarily the case that such policies and programs are costly and therefore to proceed with need information with regards to the cost of the program and the impact economically on the businesses as well.

The government will not be able to cover or help anyone if the government itself is bankrupt and with a hostile China dictating our budgetary priorities in exchange for continuance of funding our debt. Unless until we get some idea of what the impact is in this regard, I cannot support and won't support this bill.

Therefore I ask of my colleagues the following, has a review been requested for this? Has it been completed? If it was requested how long ago was it requested and what is the likelihood for receiving it should it have been a while ago?

Also that begs another question what is the latest on the GM/Deputy GM/money/reviews/economics situation?

If someone doesn't answer me in 24 hours, I will send PMs to all five Senators. If no one responds me to in 48 hours, you'll see what happens...

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

If someone doesn't answer me in 24 hours, I will send PMs to all five Senators. If no one responds me to in 48 hours, you'll see what happens...

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

So this expands the level of protection but at the same it also expands the impact economically/financially as well.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

This bill should be renamed the Robot Employment Stimulus Act of 2018.


Also I am sorry, but the amendment is a joke. The fact that we would then dump the Hobson's choice over either to accept massive unemployment or to subsidize this mostly unfunded mandate to the regions, shows in my opinion a level of disregard and contempt for regional government officials.

Also, the amendment would violate Article 2, Section 7 of the Senate rules.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

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Sponsor Feedback: None Given
Status: On Hold for violating Article 2, Section 7 of the Senate rules. Amendment must be revised or a subsequent amendment offered containing revenues.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

...I was under the impression that intermediate versions could violate Paygo as long as it's funded by the time of the final vote...

Technically the bills in violation of paygo can be blocked from coming on the floor. The underlying bill itself, since it is an unfunded mandate is ironically okay under paygo (though it is far worse than a bill that doesn't in this situation).  The amendment itself would change the underlying text into a violation and it would remain in violation until it was corrected or removed from the floor.

I was under the impression you were working on revisions anyway since the amendment had not been processed/objections called etc.

My main objective with the post was just to draw attention to the present status of things, nothing has changed from a functional stand point than prior when the bill was just sitting dead.

As to whether or not a bill can remain as is until altered when it violation it comes back to a similar determination as one would with an inactive sponsor or the like, as to how long is a reasonable wait and when should the Senate cut its loses and move on. This can be a collective decision through tabling or PPT decision subject to override through stated procedures in the rules. Nothing has been tabled here tonight.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Do we want to have this bill costed so we know the numbers that we are dealing with?

Most definitely!

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

I'll discuss this with Pericles.

What is the status on these discussions?

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

This needs a sponsor.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

With no objections having been entered, DC is now sponsor and Lechasseur is co-sponsor.

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[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

Can I get a progress update on the collaboration with Pericles.

Like I hate to be a nag, but it would be beneficial to like state publicly where you guys are at every couple days so we can get an idea as to how close we are.

Also might allow for others to provide assistance.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The total number of days between Monday, June 11th, 2018 and Saturday, February 9th, 2019 is 243 days.

This is equal to 7 months and 29 days.

TNF would be leading a torch and pitchfork parade down to the Senate right now over this. Of course TNF would have had 24 bills sitting in the queue, more than half of which had already been considered and rejected naturally.

[Southern Senator North Carolina Yankee]

The total number of days between Monday, June 11th, 2018 and Saturday, February 9th, 2019 is 243 days.

This is equal to 7 months and 29 days.

TNF would be leading a torch and pitchfork parade down to the Senate right now over this. Of course TNF would have had 24 bills sitting in the queue, more than half of which had already been considered and rejected naturally.

I am beginning to feel in a torch and pitchfork kind of mood myself now.