Arkansas News Bureau

LITTLE ROCK — Gov. Mike Beebe says his administration would abide by whatever federal health care reform legislation is signed into law.

“We’ll obey the law, and we’ll live within the means of what the law says,” Beebe told reporters today.

Several states have telegraphed intentions to challenge the constitutionality of the U.S. Senate health care reform bill passed by the U.S. House last night.

But Beebe said today he and state Attorney General Dustin McDaniel have not had any conversation about Arkansas challenging the bill’s mandates, though the governor says he has concerns about increased demands on the state Medicaid program.

Republican gubernatorial candidate Jim Keet today called on Beebe to call a special legislative session to consider measures to oppose mandates in the health care bill. He also said he has spoken with several state legislators who told him they plan to ask McDaniel for an opinion on the constitutionality of the bill.

“A special session of the General Assembly to deal with the cost of this new plan, coupled with action on the part of our Attorney General’s office, are two steps our state leaders can take to show they are truly concerned about the affects of this legislation on our citizens and our businesses,” Keet said in a news release.

McDaniel has said he does not think challenging the federal health care reform measure would be successful.

Also today, the grassroots group Secure Arkansas said it has resubmitted to McDaniel a proposed ballot measure to prohibit Arkansans from being compelled to participate in a health care system. McDaniel rejected a similar proposal earlier this year, citing ambiguities in the text.