Autism Coverage Supporters Fight to Keep Bill Alive

“We feel like in the Senate that this is the right thing to do for, unfortunately, Georgia’s families who suffer from autism, and we think these are compatible.”

The Senate approved the measure 47 to 0. It allows Unterman’s bill to bypass the House Committee process. After the vote, she said she will attach the bill to a number of others and sounded determined to keep it alive.

“We have two more days left, and I will be on many conference committees and look forward to working with the House.”

On Wednesday, a committee chaired by Unterman also attached Senate Bill 397 to House bill 885. That bill would legalize the use of an oil-based extract of marijuana for the treatment of seizure disorders.

After the committee vote, bill sponsor representative Allen Peake said he was hopeful about his bill’s chances in the Senate. But with challenges facing Senate Bill 397 in the House, Peake seemed hopeful Unterman would push harder for its final passage in another bill.

“That would be my hope, because I would love to see the medical cannabis bill get through and not get stalled because of this, but we’ll just have wait and see what happens Tuesday.”

The actual Senate Bill 397 which was approved by the Senate is currently in a House committee. It comes as a number of Republican House lawmakers have expressed concern about the bill, because they believe it’s a mandate on private businesses. And several organizations like the Georgia Chamber and the National Federation of Independent Business are opposed. Both group House leaders will keep the bill from gaining final passage.

Meanwhile, Senate supporters like Unterman remain hopeful they can strike a deal with House lawmakers.