Legislative News

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National News regarding autism, health or disability issues
Date Bill Information Current Status Action Needed
May 6, 2009 Senate Bill 819 has been introduced (on Autism Awareness Day, April 2) in the United States Senate by Illinois Senator Rick Durbin. This bill provides services including diagnosis for all ages on the spectrum, as well as training for professionals and parents, and an insurance mandate to cover autism treatment and diagnosis across a lifetime. You can learn more about it here: http://www.govtrack.us/congress/bill.xpd?bill=s111-819 Senator Udall: http://tomudall.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm or 1-202-224-6621 Currently the bill has 2 co-sponsors, neither from New Mexico. Can you please take a minute and either email or phone our New Mexico Senators and ask them to co-sponsor this bill? Senator Bingaman: senator_bingaman@bingaman.senate.gov or 1-800-443-8658 Senator Udall: http://tomudall.senate.gov/contact/contact.cfm or 1-202-224-6621
May 6, 2009 Classroom Acoustics Included in School Modernization Bill Representative Ben Chandler (D-KY) has introduced H.R. 2187, the 21st Century Green High-Performing Public School Facility Act, which includes a provision that would allow federal grants to be used to reduce or eliminate exposure to classroom noise and environmental noise pollution in schools. H.R. 2187 would require the Secretary of Education to make grants to states for the modernization, renovation, or repair of public schools, including public charter schools. The goal of the legislation is to help make schools safe, healthy, high-performing, and technologically up-to-date. The bill is on a fast track for approval in the House of Representatives with the Committee on Education and Labor scheduling a full committee markup on Wednesday, May 6, and consideration before the full House by the end of the month. row For further information, please see the committee’s Web site. For further information, please contact Neil Snyder, ASHA’s Director of Federal Advocacy, at 800-498-2071, ext. 5614 or nsnyder@asha.org.


New Mexico Legislative News regarding autism, health or disability issues
Date Bill Information Current Status Action Needed
May 6, 2009 SB 39 - the insurance mandate bill sponsored by Senator Clinton Hardin passed the New Mexico House and Senate. We are delighted that Governor Richardson signed this bill on April 2, Autism Day Please thank Governor Richardson for signing this bill and thank Senator Hardin and NMAS member Gay Finlayson for all their hard work to get this passed. Thank you also to all the people who called and wrote in favor of this bill.



2009 New Mexico Autism Society