February 21, 2014

South Dakota Senate Bill 122

We have been busy lately. Work, children, Girl Scout cookie sales, and politics have been consuming our time. Yes, politics. I've been busy mailing letters and e-mailing our legislators. Wednesday morning I got up at 4:00 am and drove the 4 hours to Pierre to testify in front of the Senate Health and Human Services Committee. Then I drove the 4 hours back home. So what was worth 8 hours on the road for such a short time? Children. Particularly children with hearing loss. You see, Senate Bill 122 is an act to require insurance companies to cover audiology services, hearing equipment, and associated therapy for children with hearing loss in South Dakota. What is more worthwhile than giving children a chance to hear and speak to the best of their ability, regardless of whether or not their parents have the financial means to purchase hearing aids and speech therapy? We are fighting. And we are not finished yet. There is more work ahead. But with the support of our fellow South Dakotans we may just succeed. I am asking all South Dakota readers to please contact their legislators (click the link to find yours) and ask for a YES vote on SB122. Pass the message on to your friends. Act quickly because the bill will be heard Monday morning again. Let's give South Dakota's deaf and hard-of-hearing children the chance to speak because our children are the future voice of South Dakota.

P.S. If you listen to the audio on the website, you might just hear me testify. Just know that I was not at my best. I was trying very hard to hold back the tears, so I needed to take deep breaths, and I cut my speech short to give the many other parents behind me a chance to speak as well. We had a great turnout of supporters!

~ Carri