Virginia may seek expedited health-care legislation ruling

[mahatmakanejeeves]

Virginia may seek expedited health-care legislation ruling

By Jim Nolan | TIMES-DISPATCH STAFF WRITER
Published: December 05, 2010

Richmond, Va. --The Virginia attorney general's office is considering a petition to fast track the state's challenge to federal health-care legislation so the case would bypass the appellate court and be heard directly by the U.S. Supreme Court.

Attorney General Ken Cuccinelli said Virginia -- which filed a challenge to the Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act in March and is awaiting a ruling in U.S. District Court this month on the constitutionality of the new law -- has discussed with federal lawyers the possibility of forgoing the appellate court review of the case and petitioning the Supreme Court directly to hear the matter.

"We are having those discussions with -- nothing's been concluded," Cuccinelli said in an interview. "But we have severe concerns, and I know the governor's expressed severe concerns, about what the uncertainty of the outcome of the case does -- not only to us, meaning state government, but does to the whole economy."