NASHVILLE (AP) - Senate Speaker Ron Ramsey on Thursday floated the idea of holding a special legislative session next winter if it's still necessary for Tennessee to come into line with requirements set by President Barack Obama's health care law.

The Blountville Republican said in a speech at the Nashville Chamber of Commerce that waiting to hold a special session in December 2012 would allow time for a Supreme Court challenge or the presidential elections to reverse the tide on the health care law.

"Personally, I hope Supreme Court overturns it sometime this summer and says you can't have these individual mandates that I think are blatantly unconstitutional," Ramsey said.

"But we can't assume that's going to happen," he said. "We're in kind of a catch-22 situation."

The exchanges represent half of Obama's strategy for expanding coverage to more than 30 million uninsured people. While the middle-class uninsured will pick a plan through their state exchange, low-income people will be covered through an expanded Medicaid program.

The law requires states to set up the exchanges by Jan. 1, 2013, or else the federal government will set them up for them. Ramsey said that provision puts Tennessee lawmakers who oppose the law in an unenviable position because they don't want to cede control to the federal government.

"None of us want to sit there and push a button or green light that sets up these health care exchanges," he said. "Because if we do, then suddenly it's: 'Well, you voted for Obamacare.'"

By waiting until December, lawmakers could avoid being placed in that position.

"At least that gives an alternative, where we're not out there on a limb for something that didn't happen and vote for something none of us believe in."

The speaker told reporters afterward that his proposal is not designed to duck a difficult political issue in an election year.

"I've never duc ked politically tough questions - never in my life have I done that," he said. "But at the same time, why do you act on something that may not even happen?"

Ramsey said he hasn't yet discussed the idea of a special session with Gov. Bill Haslam or other fellow Republicans in the General Assembly. Under his plan, legislation would be prepared in advance of a potential special session, and could be approved quickly if it is still necessary.

The governor's office did not immediately return a message seeking comment on the prospect of a special session.