Stutts' bill was one of the shortest measures introduced in this session so far. It's less than two pages in length and once all the required legal language that accompanies every bill is set aside, the actual text is less than half a page. Without elaboration or justification, it would have repealed two laws, the one on hospital stays and another on mammogram notifications. (The second repeal is problematic, too, but it lacks the callous shock value of the first.)
The hospital stay law, called Rose's Law in memory of Stutts' patient Rose Church, requires insurers to cover a minimum of 48 hours of hospital care for routine births. It was passed in 1999 and to this day is not opposed by insurers, health care providers or anyone, it seems, except Sen. Dr. Stutts.
"Just a few months on the job, I am proud to say that I am hard at work removing one-size-fits-all Obamacare-style laws from the books in Alabama," Stutts said on his Facebook page.
He didn't mention his involvement in the case that led to the passage of the law he would now repeal. We doubt that was an accidental omission. So does Mrs. Church's husband, who sued Stutts for medical malpractice.
Whether Stutts committed malpractice in that case is not known. The lawsuit was settled out of court.
What is known, however, is that the colossal arrogance Stutts displayed in trying to repeal the law is sickening. Characterizing Rose's Law as a flawed "Obamacare-style" law is insulting to the intelligence of Alabamians and to the dignity — not to mention the well-being — of women giving birth in Alabama hospitals.
Stutts' self-serving action calls into question his motives for any other legislation he might offer during his career in the Senate, which we hope will be as brief as possible. Even 48 hours is too long to keep this guy around.
