State legislators seek Obama flexibility

WASHINGTON, April 15 (UPI) -- U.S. state lawmakers struggling to implement the new healthcare law need flexibility in how they carry it out, a spokeswoman for a legislature group said.

Ten leaders of the National Conference of State Legislatures and the president of the National Black Caucus of State Legislators planned to discuss this need with President Barack Obama in a meeting with him at the White House Friday, the NCSL told United Press International.

The leaders also planned to discuss legislators' need for increased flexibility in implementing mandated federal programs while seeking to reduce state budget deficits, spokeswoman Meagan Dorsch told UPI.

They planned to "discuss the budget as it relates to unfunded mandates, healthcare reform and deficit reduction," spokesman Jon Kuhl said in an e-mail.

The NCSL is a bipartisan organization serving legislators of the nation's 50 states and commonwealths and territories. The NBCSL supports African-Americans elected to state legislatures.

The legislative leaders, in Washington for a two-day NCSL spring meeting titled "Promoting the States' Agenda," were to meet with Obama and Vice President Joe Biden, the White House said.