The opposition to the autism bill was finally out in the open during a meeting of the newly created state Commission on Mandates.
"It's nice to see who they are and what you're up against," said Anna Bullard, the Toombs County motherwho spent much of the winter lobbying on behalf of a bill that would require insurance coverage in Georgia for autism treatment. "Because the whole time we were at the capitol, we never saw anybody. Or heard anything. But we knew they were there."
The bill was named for Bullard's daughter Ava, an eight year old with autism. She has thrived under the type of treatment often denied to those lacking such insurance coverage.
"And they all have compelling stories," said Kyle Jackson, lobbyist for the National Federation of Independent Businesses-- which opposes the bill. Like Bullard, Jackson spoke before the mandate commission Tuesday.
Two additional points:
- Jackson's prepared statement did not mention the word autism.
- Senator Renee Unterman, a member of the commission, is an insurance company executive.
