Maine House and Senate Pass Parkinson's Resolution, HR 1710;
Aide to Governor King proposes meeting to help PD sufferers
by Ivan Suzman , Portland, Maine
The American Parkinson Disease Association has
achieved a new level of legislative visibility and influence
in Maine.
Despite limited human resources and a gusty spring
snowstorm, the APDA's new Maine Information and Referral
Center Director, Lillian Scenna, MSW, and the APDA's longtime
volunteer legislative liaison for Maine, Parkinson's patient Ivan Suzman,
travelled northward to the Capitol in Augusta, and combined efforts
with the Maine Parkinson's Society's President, Harold
Jones, to obtain a key and far-reaching vote for the APDA, and for the
Parkinson's community nationwide.
Maine's House of Representatives and Senate
have now gone on record in unanimous support of HR 1710,
that potentially would fund many of the basic needs
of the Parkinson's patient community. The development
of specific Parkinson's Disease education and training
courses for the State's judicial , law enforcement, fire fighting ,
safety and emergency room personnel, human services
and psychological support services workers, among others,
along with the expansion of financial support for Parkinson's research
are clearly expressed in the 19-paragraph Resolution.
On Wednesday, March 27, 2002, the lengthy and well-crafted
House-Senate Joint Resolution Recognizing Parkinson' s Awareness
Month, HR 1710, was adopted in the House of Representatives at 10:30
AM,
after a highly unusual UNANIMOUS sponsorship motion succeeded,
under the watchful eye of Speaker of the House, Dem. Michael Saxl of
Portland.
. Republican Representative Glenys Lovett of Scarborough,
where the APDA's new I&R Center is located, and Democrats
William Norbert of Portland, the Assistant Majority Leader,
and Thomas Kane of Saco gave stirring floor speeches in the House.
By 1:20 in the afternoon, H.R. !710 went down to the opposite
end of the domed and historic , white marble Capitol building,
for a vote in the Senate, as a Supplement. It passed with unanimous
consent,
under the gavel of Senate President Bennett, after newly-elected
Senator MIchael Brennan of Portland had introduced it.
Each chamber rose to give a standing ovation to Scenna, Suzman,
Jones,
and Prof. Suzman's personal care attendant, Kim Fox, and pictures were
taken in the Senate chamber (see below).
Following the bicameral vote, Scenna , Suzman and Fox met with Colleen
Eugley, staff assistant to Maine's Governor, Angus King. The APDA team
has
now been asked to discuss areas for potential funding of various
Parkinson's needs with the Governor, possibly as soon as mid-April.
As news of the day's success was posted on the Internet by Prof.
Suzman,
support and requests for information rolled in from Parkinson's advocates
in Wisconsin, Montana, California, Washington, Arkansas, Pennsylvania,
New York, Texas, and Ontario Canada. Congratulations to Maine's APDA
team for a very fine effort!
END OF STORY
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