Florida federal Court Ruling on health care law: today

From the NY Times on the ruling this afternoon in Florida Federal Court:

"...The judge’s ruling came in the most prominent of more than 20 legal challenges to some aspect of the sweeping health law, which was enacted last year by a Democratic Congress and signed by President Obama in March.

"The plaintiffs include governors and attorneys general from 26 states, all but one Republican, as well as the National Federation of Independent Business, which represents small companies. Officials from six states joined the lawsuit this month after shifts in party control brought by last November’s elections."

"The ruling by Judge Vinson, a senior judge who was appointed by President Ronald Reagan, solidified the divide in the health litigation among judges named by Republicans and those named by Democrats..."

Judge Vinson's ruling makes it 2-2, two rulings supporting the Affordable Care Act and two rulings in favor of requiring at least some changes to the law passed last March in Congress.

However, Vinson's ruling goes further than the ruling previously in Virginia. Vinson will allow the federal law to stand pending appeal, but his 70+ pages state include a ruling that the whole federal law will fall, if it stands on appeal.

Also on this issue, the NC House Democrats held a Press Conference this afternoon and speakers addressed the problems with House Bill 2 introduced by the GOP leaders last week. Adam Linker of the NC Justice Center and other advocates spoke and answered questions from the media.