I never bought into the it takes a village to raise a child mentality. But I have learned that it does indeed take a village to pass legislation, even if such legislation seems so clearly appropriate in ones heart. Yesterday, after six long years of advocacy, education, networking, close calls, and yes - some painful betrayals along the way, the Kansas Senate passed HB 2744 for Autism Insurance Reform in the State of Kansas; the same bill which passed in the House on March 21st. We now anxiously await our bill signing with Governor Brownback. So about that village... In the House, I am so grateful to my Three Amigos - Rep. John Rubin, former Rep. and House Majority Leader Arlen Siegfreid, and Rep. S Mike Kiegerl, enormously caring men - conservatives all - who became my great friends, and who worked exhaustively for years on autism reform to convince their peers that the legislature is in the mandate business and you cant differentiate an insurance mandate from any other bill that becomes law; that every day laws are enacted which create (new) mandates on individuals, entities, or businesses. And to Speaker Ray Merrick, who allowed the bill to get to the floor this year over the attempts of another Rep. to let it die in committee. And in the Senate, I am grateful to Senator Rob Olson, who has steadfastly advocated for autism since he was in the House, and he worked tirelessly to get this bill to the floor this year and in 2012. And Im grateful to Senate Majority Leader, Senator Terry Bruce, who was kind enough to hear my pleas in a 90 minute meeting last Friday, and let the bill go to the floor of the Senate. And Senators Greg Smith, Jim Denning and Clark Shultz, who worked behind the scenes in speaking with their colleagues. And I am grateful to Senator Laura Kelly and Senator Anthony Hensley, who heard our pleas to stand down from the amendments they wanted to add to enhance what we all knew was not a comprehensive bill. But in weighing the risk of letting the bill go to conference committee, their good intentions might likely have killed the bill. And nothing happens in Topeka without great lobbyists; thanks to Steve Kearney and Kari Presley, who steadfastly represented Autism Speaks for the past few years. But the biggest, heartfelt gratitude goes to Mike Wasmer, first and foremost a parent advocate from Johnson County, and later would become Associate Director of State Government Affairs for Autism Speaks, who was, from Day One, the subject matter expert and chief advocate for Autism in Kansas. Over the six years, Mikes network of grassroots supporters grew exponentially, and by this year, they were a formidable group of Kansans united in one mission: to end discrimination of children with Autism for all time in the great State of Kansas. And that they did! And I am honored and humbled to have helped them get there! God bless the children with autism! May a cure be found; but until then, may each child so afflicted have a chance to be all they can be by having therapies covered by insurance which are known to help them assimilate into society.
Posted on: Thu, 03 Apr 2014 16:47:44 +0000
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