We Won: Now a Bill Becomes Law.

I've been quiet the last few days.  As I mentioned before, I didn't want to upset the apple cart.  Didn't think that I could upset the apple cart, but I just couldn't be sure.  Besides, it was nice out and managed to fit two long bike rides into my schedule.  And then....

Today at 11 AM, the Senate in informal session passed "An Act Relative to Children's Mental Health".  

It actually is an amazing feat of legislative prowess.  We owe tons to Ruth Balzer and Steve Tolman, for championing the bill, and President Murray and Speaker DiMasi for keeping in play when we thought it was gone, and the 5 founding organizations for pulling together the coalition to make it all happen.  (A Health Blogs summary of the process can be found here.) We should jump up and sing, we should hug a child, we should raise a joyful noise, we should be very proud of ourselves.  Well done, all.

So, I'll let you all listen to the Providence Singer's do "My Lord, What a Morning", which has, to me the right degree of joy and mournfulness.  We got the bill through, but we still have a lot of work to do.  In the meantime:

1)  Thank your State Rep and State Senator for their support.

2)  Urge the Governor to sign the bill.

3)  Come to the party in September.  Should be a blow out.