Mo. voters limit governor's power on health care

KANSAS CITY, Mo. (AP) -- Missouri voters have passed a ballot measure limiting the governor's ability to implement part of President Barack Obama's health care law.

Voters approved a law Tuesday prohibiting the governor or his administration from taking any steps toward establishing an online health insurance exchange unless specifically authorized to do so by a state law or vote of the people.

Under Obama's health care law, states have until 2014 to create a health insurance exchange or have the federal government run one for them. The exchanges are intended to provide individuals and small businesses a way to compare and buy health insurance policies online.

Missouri's vote may be largely symbolic, because Gov. Jay Nixon's administration already has halted efforts to lay the groundwork of an insurance exchange.