Action Alerts

February 26, 2008
Autism Insurance Bill Introduced in Illinois Senate Legislature

ACTION: Call Illinois senators and reps NOW to help more families

YOUR ACTION IS NEEDED! It will only take a minute or two.

It is Extremely Urgent to contact your local state senator and state representative and ask them to sign on as a sponsor to the vital legislation.

Illinois has become the latest state to introduce autism insurance reform legislation. Illinois Senate Bill 1900 was introduced this week in committee by Assistant Majority Leader Senator James DeLeo, and will include coverage for therapies such as

• Speech,
• Occupational, Physical and Applied Behavioral Analysis (ABA)
• and other evidence-based, medically-necessary treatments.

A lobbying day for parents and organizations in support of SB 1900 is planned for April 15, 2008, in Springfield, IL.

Instrumental in putting together this campaign for autism insurance reform are

• Peter DiCianni, author and introducer of SB1900, the father of a 4-year-old daughter with autism from Elmhurst;
• Lee Jorwic, the Autism Speaks Chapter Advocacy Chair in Illinois, and the father of an 18-year-old son diagnosed with autism;
• Laura Cellini, former lobbyist and sitting board member Autism Commission of Illinois and mother of a young son with autism;
• and Christopher Kennedy of Autism Society of Illinois, a long-time advocate of autism legislation in Illinois and the father of a daughter with autism.

Also thanks to Nuccio Dargento board member of Easter Seals and owner of Vince’s Restaurant/Chicago and to Academy Award Winner and Chicago star Joe Mantegna who has agreed to be the spokesperson for this bill and will be filming a commercial on our behalf. All are working together to build a coalition of autism organizations in Illinois to help move this bill forward.

Our goal is 30-35 sponsors in the senate. We are currently at 9. Your calls do matter and our kid's voices need to be heard. Ask your friends and family to call on your behalf as well. This is a unique time and situation, spread the word and let's get this bill passed!!

To volunteer as an advocate for this bill, click here to email us.

To view the status of this bill, CLICK HERE.

PLEASE CALL YOUR LEGISLATOR'S SPRINGFIELD OFFICE TODAY
Identify the contact information for your STATE Representative and STATE Senator by clicking here.

Learn even more about them at the Illinois General Assembly web site.

The message is easy:

"Please ask Representative (or Senator) ____________ to remember people with developmental disabilities. Please support autism insurance reform legislation as described in SB 1900. Thank you!"

Please call today or tomorrow!
Remember these are our kids and family members we're talking about.

LOOK UP YOUR STATE LEGISLATORS
Call your state rep and state senator. Our success depends on you!

Sincerely,
Christopher M. Kennedy
Legislative Director, Autism Society of Illinois

 

Autism Society of Illinois
2200 S. Main Street, Suite 205
Lombard, IL 60148-5366
630-691-1270 Phone
888-691-1270 Toll-Free
630-932-5620 Fax
www.autismillinois.org