Earlier this month, both houses passed two very similar pieces of legislation that set up a health insurance exchange. Both Senate Bill 5455 and House Bill 1740 have been sent to the opposite chamber where they are in committee.

On March 23, 2010, the federal Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act was signed into federal law. The federal law mandates state health insurance exchanges where individuals and small businesses can compare policies and premiums as well as buy insurance. Government subsidies are available for qualifying small businesses.

Although the state bills are strongly supported by democrats, many republicans have also supported the bills to create an exchange but avoid mandated health insurance.