Medical Good Faith Act is LAW in Michigan

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder signs the Medical Good Faith Act into law.

Michigan Senator Jim Marleau and Governor Snyder hold the executed document.

Grace, Hope, Senator Marleau, Governor Snyder, Eli, Gideon, Jesi, Faith, and Brad

Picture with Kenneth and Lana Gabriel (Jesi's family on left) along with Byron and Evelyn Smith (Brad's family on right)

This is a photo of an original signature bill .

The Smith clan in the Michigan Senate Chamber

In Senate chamber with Byron & Evelyn Smith, Lana Gabriel, and Senator Marleau.

Faith is excited to take a photo with some family friends who traveled to Lansing for the signing.

This is nice, but can we just relish in the one?

Today was tremendous to experience the Medical Good Faith Act being made into law here in Michigan.  We had fun as a family participating in this signing ceremony and getting to meet Governor Rick Snyder.  With the incredible success of having this voted through unanimously, we look forward to helping other parents pass it in their states.  There is NO doubt that God blessed this effort because it has happened amazingly fast.  The law will take effect in 90 days so we will be working on an effort to create a place on the web to post the policies of hospitals as we acquire them.  We would like to develop a national resource where people can share hospitals' policies with others.

We were given several original signature bills along with several pens Governor Snyder used to sign the bills.  We will have to get it framed as our first bill ever passed.  If God continues to bless this effort, then we hope to see many more signed into law in more states.  All the Michigan staff that worked with us is excited to see this have an impact on other states.  We will have to see where this all leads. 

I want to thank Mary Kellett and Marta McClanahan for their inspiration and connections to their own effort to get this done in Minnesota.  Now we need to find a way to get it passed there.

There's a Little Faith left in Lansing

The Faith in the Medical Good Faith Act...chilling in the shade of her seat.

Our little Michigan Trisomy 18 Convention or better known as Joey's 4th birthday party.

T18 children include Faith, Joey, Lila, Mylah, and Ameir.

Well, we had a pretty good weekend even though Momma didn't get to join Faith at Joey's 4th birthday party.  Jesi was sick and could not attend, but it was still fun to see most of our T18 family friends here in Michigan and meet a new friend, Joey Pagac.

Faith is headed to Lansing tomorrow afternoon to meet with Governor Rick Snyder.  She has decided to allow us to come with her as we travel to Lansing for the Medical Good Faith Act signing which will take place in the governor's office at the capitol building.  This will be amazing to see our bill signed into law.  It is exciting to have gotten unanimous votes by the House and Senate.  The crazy part is how fast it has happened.  This bill was introduced in February and here we are in early June seeing it signed into law.  We will continue to work with parents in other states who would like to see this legislation made law.

ABSOLUTELY THRILLED!

Well, I have been trying to check on the Medical Good Faith Act's progress and found out today that the full House was going to vote on it...today.  I wanted to watch it, but my work day was absolutely nuts so I didn't get to watch and almost forgot about it.  So I logged onto the link below to check on the status, and I found out that the bill passed 108 - 0....Unanimous!  This is amazing!  Now the bill will go back to the Senate for final approval due to language changes in the House then next stop is Governor Snyder's desk.  Then we want to work with parents in other states to promote the legislation.

 http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(0eiof3zufdtiyk55fep5kxfo))/mileg.aspx?page=GetObject&objectName=2013-SB-0165

Committee Hearing May Be Next Week

Faith is sitting beside me talking and squealing, and just having a good old time.  She has had a pretty good winter with not even one trip to the hospital.  We have had a few illnesses, but she has gotten past them well.  She continues to work on her walking skills.  Since we haven't had to worry as much about her health, we have been able to focus on some other things.  One of these is the Medical Good Faith Act.  I spoke with Michigan Senator Marleau's office today and wanted to update you on where we stand.

This link will allow you to read the bill... http://www.legislature.mi.gov/(S(czo0n5555z05j0552gs0umuz))/mileg.aspx?page=GetObject&objectName=2013-SB-0165

Today I learned that not only do we have Senator Marleau, chair of the Health Policy Committee, as the sponsor, but we have 4 other Senators on the committee co-sponsoring the bill.  This means 5 of the 8 state senators on this committee are sponsoring the bill which makes for good odds on passage in the committee. :)  Over the weekend, I was a delegate to the Republican State Convention and got to speak with Marleau about the bill.  I also talked with Brian Calley, our lieutenant governor, who has a son with autism.  He wants to get together with Marleau to discuss the bill so God is giving us favor with many.  I was also told today that we may have the committee hearing next Thursday March 7 at 2:30pm.  If it is scheduled, Jesi and I will be taking the family to Lansing to testify before the committee.

I was told that they are currently not planning to remove the "minor" verbiage in the bill which would make it apply only to those under 18 to ensure there won't be any problems passing it.  I have a strategy which I am hoping we can use.  I would like to have a senator introduce an amendment to the bill on the floor of the whole senate to remove the "minor" reference.  This way the senate can vote on the change and hopefully pass it then the bill would also pass, but even if it didn't pass the bill could still pass with the "minor" reference.  Once we get over this hurdle, next stop will be the Michigan House of Representatives.