From WIS-TV in Columbia
Autism bill supporters holding out for governor's signature
COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - One of the bills that is still hanging out there is one that advocates say would help autistic children. It has unanimous support in the House and the Senate. All it needs to become law is the governor's signature.
"I trust the governor will do the right thing. I believe that he will," says Marcella Ridley.
How did a stay-at-home mom from Columbia, end up doing television interviews - schmoozing with lawmakers, and waiting to see whether the governor will meet Wednesday's deadline to sign a bill into law?
Ridley says, "I never thought I'd be sitting here on June fourth - I didn't. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed in that."
People call Marcella Ridley, Lorri Unumb and Lisa Rowlings the angels for autism. For two years, the ladies have spearheaded the fight for legislation they believe will help autistic children their reasons are personal. Each of the ladies has an autistic child.
Marcella's little guy is named Winston, and the bill is actually named after Lorri's son Ryan.
"These are three moms on a mission," says Senator Joel Lourie. It's a mission the senator has spent a lot of time on. He says the bill would improve treatment options for kids with autism.
And while he says at first insurance companies were hesitant to cover the costs, now everyone has signed off on it, everyone except the governor.
When WIS called the governor's office to see why, a spokesman will only tell us that Governor Sanford is looking the bill over.
Obviously, everyone who supports the bill wants to see the governor sign it, but if the governor does veto the bill, that doesn't mean it's dead in the water.
Senator Lourie says, "If he were to veto the bill then we go to work immediately Thursday morning on overriding the veto and that would start in the Senate first."
The governor has until midnight Wednesday to make a decision. Ironically, Wednesday is Winston's seventh birthday.
Reported by Kara Gormley
COLUMBIA, SC (WIS) - One of the bills that is still hanging out there is one that advocates say would help autistic children. It has unanimous support in the House and the Senate. All it needs to become law is the governor's signature.
"I trust the governor will do the right thing. I believe that he will," says Marcella Ridley.
How did a stay-at-home mom from Columbia, end up doing television interviews - schmoozing with lawmakers, and waiting to see whether the governor will meet Wednesday's deadline to sign a bill into law?
Ridley says, "I never thought I'd be sitting here on June fourth - I didn't. I'd be lying if I said I wasn't disappointed in that."
People call Marcella Ridley, Lorri Unumb and Lisa Rowlings the angels for autism. For two years, the ladies have spearheaded the fight for legislation they believe will help autistic children their reasons are personal. Each of the ladies has an autistic child.
Marcella's little guy is named Winston, and the bill is actually named after Lorri's son Ryan.
"These are three moms on a mission," says Senator Joel Lourie. It's a mission the senator has spent a lot of time on. He says the bill would improve treatment options for kids with autism.
And while he says at first insurance companies were hesitant to cover the costs, now everyone has signed off on it, everyone except the governor.
When WIS called the governor's office to see why, a spokesman will only tell us that Governor Sanford is looking the bill over.
Obviously, everyone who supports the bill wants to see the governor sign it, but if the governor does veto the bill, that doesn't mean it's dead in the water.
Senator Lourie says, "If he were to veto the bill then we go to work immediately Thursday morning on overriding the veto and that would start in the Senate first."
The governor has until midnight Wednesday to make a decision. Ironically, Wednesday is Winston's seventh birthday.
Reported by Kara Gormley
posted by Lorri Unumb at 9:27 PM
1 Comments:
Hi Lori. My name is Roger Redford. I know Ryan. His cousin Tiffiny used to bring him to my church with your permission of course.
I teach the class that he comes to.
First, I miss seing him and you of course are welcome to bring him anytime. [Tiffiny told me that y'all go to church, so I'm not looking to change that, just to let you know that Ryan is always welcome]
That said, I want to let you know that I fully support this bill and am praying for it to go through.
I also want to say this...a few months ago, I gave a speech in my Toastmasters group. It was about the kids that I work with in that class. I've an audio copy of it that I'll be glad to let you have. And anytime you need it, my voice--my ablity for public speaking--is yours.
Thank you.
Roger A. Redford
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