Tuesday, June 11, 2013

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.

Monday, June 10, 2013

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.