National Health Protection Act of 2020
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| Other short titles |
National Health Act Health Protection Act |
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| Long title | An act to ensure and protect the national health and well-being of the Kingdom of Sierra and its people |
| Nicknames | COVID-care Act |
| Enacted by | the 66th Parliament of Sierra |
| Effective | August 21, 2020 |
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Leader of the Opposition and SDS
Prime Minister of the Kingdom of Sierra
Tenure and policies
Elections
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The National Health Protection Act of 2020 is an Act of the Parliament of the Kingdom of Sierra introduced in August 14, 2020 by Social Democrat leader and Prime Minister Susan Kwon as a response to the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic in Sierra. The act proposes the nationalization of all hospitals, clinics and other healthcare facilities across the Kingdom of Sierra, the establishment of COVID-19 testing sites across every major city and location in Sierra, and for the federal government to take the initiative in responding to the COVID-19 pandemic and for developing a vaccine to the disease.
The act was voted upon in the House of Commons on August 16, 2020 after it was schedueled by the House itself. Leader of the Opposition Nemesis Heartwell (R–SJ) had voiced her opposition to the bill, but the Social Democratic-led government and coalition in the House of Commons had ensured that the act would pass along with support from the Crossbench Committee lead by the Christian Democratic Party. The act passed on the 16 184 to 92 with all MPs part of the Progressive Coalition and most of the Crossbench Committee voting in favor of the bill with opposition mostly coming from the Royalist-led opposition with the Libertarians.
On August 19, the Senate of Sierra held a vote on the Health Protection Act as part of the legislative voting process. The bill passed 87–38 with voting occurring largely among partisan lines where Malcolm Siegel, Democratic-Republican Senator of Flagstaff and Senate Majority Leader helped lead the effort to pass the bill calling the vote a "great day". On August 20, the bill reached the office of Queen Elizabeth II where she approved the bill and fully assented it announcing that it would be enacted on August 21, 2020 by request of parliament and the office of the Prime Minister and her cabinet. On the day the bill was enacted, all health facilities were nationalized by Kwon and her government and she announced plans to begin Sierra's participation in Operation Red Swallow and started mobilizing the Sierran Royal National Guard as a result.
Background
COVID-19 pandemic
The first case of COVID-19 was reported in Sierra on January 25, 2020 in Rothenburg, Orange, where it would spread fast across Sierra affecting the country, especially in Federal Sierra. A nationwide pandemic would ensue and would become a major public crisis. Nemesis Heartwell had been Prime Minister at the time of the pandemic's arrival in Sierra and had received an increase in approval ratings during the initial stages, but ultimately didn't maintain the momentum and would become highly criticized for not implementing a nationwide face mask mandate, offing only a one-time $1,200 check, and attempting to reopen schools and the economy as soon as possible despite the warnings from public health officials.
Heartwell would ultimately face an early election following the passage of the Early Parliamentary Federal Election Act of 2020 and in the ensuing 2020 Sierran federal election, would see her party suffer a horrific defeat and for Susan Kwon to succeed her as Prime Minister. During the campaign season, Kwon called for a system of universal basis income to be implemented and for a national healthcare system to be implemented in order to counter the pandemic. Upon being sworn in as Prime Minister, she stated her intent to follow through on her promise and would craft a legislative bill in order to enact a nationalized healthcare system to combat the pandemic.
On March 28, the Conference of American States launched Operation Red Swallow, a multinational military operation to aid in combating COVID-19 across Anglo-America and all member states, dependencies and territories of the CAS with the Combined Armed Forces of America and AmeriCorps to aid in combating the virus by sending medical supplies and resources to effected regions, aid in testing, set up testing sites and emergency hospitals and medical centers and help with the security forces of member states to enforce quarantine, deliver essential items and work to help combat the virus. Most member states joined the operation when it began, but Sierra opted out by the orders of Prime Minister Heartwell who accused the operation of threatening Sierra's sovereignty and ability to fight the virus. Her statement caused widespread controversy and was criticized heavily, especially since she wouldn't accept aid from the operation and the move was unpopular amongst the Sierran public.
Kwon condemned Heartwell's decision and called her out for it during the debates for th 2020 federal election and promised to get involved in the operation if she was elected Prime Minister. After being sworn in as Prime Minister following the election, Kwon announced her intent to join the operation and would enact major legislation to both join the operation and lay out a nationwide response to the pandemic.
Voting and results
The House of Commons voted on the bill on August 16 where it was first proposed. Susan Kwon had given her statement on why she proposed the bill and her argument in defense of the bill. Afterwards Leader of the Opposition Nemesis Heartwell voiced her opposition to the bill accusing Kwon and the Social Democratic-led government of infringing on "the liberty and democratic choice" of Sierran citizens. The vote was then held and passed with 184 MPs voting in favor of the bill and the rest voted against. The vote was among partisan lines with all sitting MPs part of the Progressive Coalition voting in favor of the bill while the opposition voted against it. Most of the Crossbench Committee voted in favor of the bill, even most Christian Democratic MPs, while only seven voted against it.
On August 19, the Senate voted on the bill where it was motioned to the floor by Majority Leader Malcolm Siegel and gave his statement in favor of the bill with Senate Opposition Leader Marcus Gutierrez voicing the stance of the Senate Opposition afterwards. The bill also passed the Senate among partisan lines with 87 voting in favor of it and the remaining 38 opposing it, including all nine Christian Democratic senators and both independent senators within the Sierran Senate Crossbench Caucus. After passing both chambers of parliament, it was sent to Queen Elizabeth II where it was assented on August 20.
| 2020 Health Protection Act House voting results | ||
| Ballot → | Results | |
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| Yes | 184 / 276
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| No | 92 / 276
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| 2020 Health Protection Act Senate voting results | ||
| Ballot → | Results | |
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| Yes | 87 / 125
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| No | 38 / 125
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The Act
The act lays out the groundwork for a national effort to combat COVID-19 by establishing a de-facto national single-payer healthcare system (rather than the current system of provincial-operated single-payer healthcare) and ordering the following to happen;
- All hospitals, clinics, and other healthcare facilities are to be nationalized by the federal government, with private business and owners to be financially compensated.
- The Ministry of Health and Human Services is to establish new COVID-19 testing and treatment facilities across Sierra.
- Vacant sports stadiums and warehouses are to be used as makeshift testing sites and/or hospitals to combat COVID-19.
- Sierra will work with the Conference of American States in combating the virus and participate in Operation Red Swallow.
- All doctors and healthcare workers will be temporarily classified as public employees of the Ministry of Health for the duration of the pandemic and have access to its payroll and employment benefits including pension and 401(k) plans.
- A monthly paycheck for $2,000 will be delivered to all Sierran adult citizens for the entirety of the pandemic, and $1,000 credit to all Sierran dependents, up to 4 per family (capped at $4,000).
Outcome
The National Health Protection Act was approved by all bodies that make up the Sierran parliament and was enacted on August 21. That same day, the Sierran government nationalized all hospitals, clinics and health facilities and had the Federal Coronavirus Response Task Force expanded to include doctors, physicians, and other high-ranking health officials who established a National Health Logistics Committee within the task force and also were hired to work for the Sierran government in tackling the pandemic and establishing a universal healthcare system as well. All health facilities which were previously owned by private entities would remain officially managed by such until the government settled and finalized a compensation plan with the owners and accepted their debt.
Controversy and legal challenges
The bill faced opposition from the Royalist Party who denounced it as an excessive power grab by the Kwon government. Preston Barton, then-Chair of the House Royalist Conference, denounced the act as "authoritarian" and called for its repeal accusing Kwon of "infringing on the right to choose and civil sovereignty over Sierrans' right to healthcare". The Royalist Study Committee called the bill a "far-left power-grab" and accused the bill of being "openly Landonist".