From S.D. News
Saying the federal government has exceeded its Constitutional authority with an unfunded mandate, South Dakota officials announced Tuesday it has joined 12 other states in seeking court action challenging the recently passed health care reform bill.
"Congress has exceeded its Constitutional authority with this unfunded federal mandate forcing all citizens to have qualifying health coverage or face a penalty." South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said in a news release. "This federalistic encroachment on state's rights to govern has gone too far."
Gov. Mike Rounds echoed Jackley's comments. "We considered waiting until after the reconciliation process to join the lawsuit because some of the details of the legislation may change, but the underlying legal theories will not change," Rounds said.
The bipartisan lawsuit was filed by 13 Attorneys General from South Carolina, Nebraska, Texas, Utah, Louisiana, Alabama, Colorado, Michigan, Pennsylvania, Washington, Idaho and South Dakota, and is the first challenge of the new law, filed Tuesday in the U.S. Federal District Court in Florida.