Cross posted from my blog. Original posts here and here.
The craziness of these proposed state bills is pretty obvious. Let's begin with part two:
Part one:
- Republican lawmakers in Arizona are in favor of a requirement for hospitals to check the immigration status of patients who arrive for non-emergency visits. Critics assert that the bill would punish the sick for seeking care and force doctors to take up the duties of immigration agents.
- Rep. Phil Jensen of North Dakota [was] pushing forward an expanded definition of "justifiable homicide" that encompasses violent actions done to protect a fetus from harm. This is being widely interpreted as a move to legalize the killing of abortion providers.
- Sen. Tim Schaffer of Ohio wants to mandate urinalysis drug tests for beneficiaries of need-based assistance programs and suggests that criminally prosecuting applicants who fail drug tests could save the state "thousands" (disregarding the cost of criminal court proceedings and incarceration, I suppose).
- Rep. Bill Wright of Utah proposes that the state claim itself exempt from new FDA authorities granted under the Food Safety Modernization Act for products that do not cross state-lines.
Not sure what I'm supposed to think about this.