One of the first pieces of legislation I had drafted was designed to address the failure to update the eligibility guidelines problem for cost of living changes. I recruited Rep. Jolly to act as sponsor out of some strategic considerations. Last year and this year we could not get a hearing for that bill (HB 1052 in 2006) in the Children and Families Committee on which I serve because committee chair Rep. Susan Phillips had her own very narrow agenda. Almost every bill we have heard for two years has had to do with further limiting abortion, access to contraception, information about conception.

Next year I intend to bring back the bill and be the lead sponsor (since Rep. Jolly is term-limited out). I pray the Dems have a majority in the new Legislative Session and that "pro-life" will come to mean a lot more than "anti-abortion/anti-sex."