Rep. Brad Daw floated a bill Wednesday that would make it a crime for Utahns to forgo health insurance - a bold proposal that received mostly boos from citizen lobbyists. But the day wasn't a complete disaster. Fellow Republicans praised Daw, R-Ogden, for the "courage" to raise the issue of personal responsibility. But if there is anything Utah's conservative Legislature loathes more than an entitlement, it's a mandate, and the sponsor acknowledged his bill isn't likely to pass out of committee. The bill would force all Utahns to purchase catastrophic health insurance for themselves and dependents - policies tied to huge deductibles and health savings accounts - or something better. The minimum policy would have an annual deductible equal to the average salary in Utah (about $34,600), meaning coverage wouldn't kick in until that spending level. Daw pitched the bill as a way to stop the uninsured from freeloading and forcing everyone else to pay their health costs. Insurance lobbyist Kelly Atkinson said it was the first time in 15 years he had heard a lawmaker talk about personal responsibility. Just as rare: Affordable health care advocate Judi Hilman and conservative activist Gayle Ruzicka lined up against the bill. Hilman said it would invite employers to drop existing coverage. Ruzicka said it infringed on personal freedom. "This is a mandate on people who can't afford it and we live in a country that doesn't do this to families," she said. - Linda Fantin