Post by Admin on Dec 12, 2016 11:47:42 GMT -6
This started way back in the summer of 2012 when I had a meeting with Lt. Gov. Todd Lamb about what Oklahoma was doing for Traumatic Brain Injury survivors. He was honest and said nothing. My next response was telling him that he knew the resources, contacts, etc. I had. I needed to know what the state needed to have in place for this to happen. So from that meeting I went searching online for legislation of what states were doing to help those of us living with a Traumatic Brain Injury. I also looked around and contacted various state Brain Injury Alliances or Associations about what they were doing in their state. But the big thing was I didn't know how to write legislation UNTIL I became involved in the Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature (Spring 2013). Now I get a kick out of it...looking at legislation, reading it in depth, and coming up with ideas. I have written two resolutions that have been adopted by the Oklahoma House of Representatives. Now I finally have something that I truly believe will help Oklahoma. BUT FIRST...GET THE FUNDING ISSUE OUT OF YOUR HEAD...we're not discussing that...yet. The legislation is below along with my comments as to why I wrote or put it there.
HB2826 - Spring 2016
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to public health and safety; defining
certain terms; providing certain services for
individuals with traumatic brain injury; requiring
TBI Raiders to provide certain services; creating the
TBI Raiders Advisory Council; providing funding for
certain scholarship; providing for codification; and
providing an effective date.
The TBI Raiders Advisory Council would be one that would work with the state legislature and the state departments so that services can be provided to their best ability to Traumatic Brain Injury survivors living in Oklahoma. The scholarship would be only for students and young adults living with a Traumatic Brain Injury who wanted to enter in/return/remain in college.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1-291.7 of Title 63, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
As defined in this act:
1. "Traumatic brain injury (TBI)" means a nondegenerative,
noncongenital insult to the brain from an external mechanical force,
possibly leading to permanent or temporary impairment of cognitive,
physical and psychosocial functions, with an associated diminished
or altered state of consciousness;
2. "TBI Raiders" means an online club for students and young
adults who have sustained a traumatic brain injury which creates a
unit where there was none for survivors to unite and help each other
succeed, showing other survivors that what they once thought was
impossible can turn into a goal that can be accomplished;
3. "TBI's Corner" means a source that explains traumatic brain
injury and how it affects every group of individuals, teens and
adults. It will further provide answers and resources to those who
want to learn more about the disability and find organizations and
businesses that can better assist those affected by TBI. Its
primary focus is to emphasize an individual's reentry to school;
4. "Members of TBI Raiders" means a place in which the
volunteers with and without a TBI can come relax, build an online
resume, and highlight and empower the volunteer service and the
community work in which individuals who have a traumatic brain
injury engage actively. Its primary focus is to emphasize an
individual's reentry to the workforce; and
5. "Survive to Vote" means an effort that was begun in 2005
with the purpose of getting issues important to the disability
community out not just in the time of election but out to those who
are presently in office working to represent everyone. It is about
ensuring elected officials show equal representation not only for
those who do not have disabilities but also those who do.
I believe I wrote this before I created Raid Oklahoma. But I want to keep the two campaigns so that way the Disability community and TBI community can feel like they have their "own" campaign.
SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1-291.8 of Title 63, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. An application for an identification card for survivors once
they sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) shall be given to the
family of the TBI survivor when he or she leaves the hospital.
B. Every survivor shall be provided an individual plan for
rehabilitation and reintegration.
C. Students living with and without disabilities as well as
young adults who have sustained a traumatic brain injury shall
assist with helping veterans with TBI.
- I wrote this in because I kept hearing nobody knows how to help us better than we do. Which is true, so why not create a peer support group that is meant to strengthen the morale of each other?
D. The TBI Raiders shall monitor and assist by:
1. Serving as a portal for the Pediatric Brain Injury
Conference committee (I served on this one year and believe it would be beneficial to the success of the recovery for those living with a Traumatic Brain Injury) along with the Secondary and Postsecondary
State Departments to work together to see that students who have
sustained a TBI get an equal chance like their peers without
disabilities in succeeding in school;
2. Providing a smooth transition from high school to college;
3. Providing a scholarship for students and young adults living
with TBI who wish to enter college;
4. Providing employment to students with TBI in college through
members of TBI Raiders;
5. Encouraging students with TBI to create and build their own
online resumes;
6. Participating in monthly meetings where the students and
young adults would be planning and building up the programs for TBI
Raiders;
7. Providing reports every semester to the Oklahoma Legislature
on the successes and failures they have seen in the school with
helping students with TBI;
This would be so the state legislature could have an insight to what was and wasn't working with the legislation
8. Providing seminars to young adults living with disabilities
to help them learn how to speak up and how laws are created and
passed; and
9. Creating the s-2-v.yolasite.com website (already up and running; think the intent here was somehow expand more on the website...I think) to serve as an
online forum for the TBI survivors to have their issues heard.
E. A TBI information packet shall be given to the family of the
TBI survivor in rehabilitation.
I think this is something the state of Tennessee is doing. I know I talked to one of my contacts east of Oklahoma and they told me what they were doing.
F. The TBI Raiders Advisory Council is hereby created which
shall oversee the implementation of this act. The advisory council
shall consist of an executive director, a representative of the
Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature, a representative of the Brain
Injury Association of Oklahoma, an individual representing veterans,
a representative of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation
Services, a state representative, a state senator and a doctor who
provides rehabilitative services.
G. 1. The funding for a TBI scholarship shall initially come
from the six TBI Raiders stores.
2. In addition, ten cents ($0.10) shall be received from
penalty assessments on infractions such as DUI, speeding, reckless
driving, accidents causing bodily injury or death, violations of
child safety restraint laws and helmet laws, surcharges on
motorcycle or motor vehicle license tag fees, surcharges on vehicle
registration fees and driver license reinstatement fees.
SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2016.
I don't know what if anything Rep. Enns has modified with the bill. I will keep you posted.
HB2826 - Spring 2016
AS INTRODUCED
An Act relating to public health and safety; defining
certain terms; providing certain services for
individuals with traumatic brain injury; requiring
TBI Raiders to provide certain services; creating the
TBI Raiders Advisory Council; providing funding for
certain scholarship; providing for codification; and
providing an effective date.
The TBI Raiders Advisory Council would be one that would work with the state legislature and the state departments so that services can be provided to their best ability to Traumatic Brain Injury survivors living in Oklahoma. The scholarship would be only for students and young adults living with a Traumatic Brain Injury who wanted to enter in/return/remain in college.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE PEOPLE OF THE STATE OF OKLAHOMA:
SECTION 1. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1-291.7 of Title 63, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
As defined in this act:
1. "Traumatic brain injury (TBI)" means a nondegenerative,
noncongenital insult to the brain from an external mechanical force,
possibly leading to permanent or temporary impairment of cognitive,
physical and psychosocial functions, with an associated diminished
or altered state of consciousness;
2. "TBI Raiders" means an online club for students and young
adults who have sustained a traumatic brain injury which creates a
unit where there was none for survivors to unite and help each other
succeed, showing other survivors that what they once thought was
impossible can turn into a goal that can be accomplished;
3. "TBI's Corner" means a source that explains traumatic brain
injury and how it affects every group of individuals, teens and
adults. It will further provide answers and resources to those who
want to learn more about the disability and find organizations and
businesses that can better assist those affected by TBI. Its
primary focus is to emphasize an individual's reentry to school;
4. "Members of TBI Raiders" means a place in which the
volunteers with and without a TBI can come relax, build an online
resume, and highlight and empower the volunteer service and the
community work in which individuals who have a traumatic brain
injury engage actively. Its primary focus is to emphasize an
individual's reentry to the workforce; and
5. "Survive to Vote" means an effort that was begun in 2005
with the purpose of getting issues important to the disability
community out not just in the time of election but out to those who
are presently in office working to represent everyone. It is about
ensuring elected officials show equal representation not only for
those who do not have disabilities but also those who do.
I believe I wrote this before I created Raid Oklahoma. But I want to keep the two campaigns so that way the Disability community and TBI community can feel like they have their "own" campaign.
SECTION 2. NEW LAW A new section of law to be codified
in the Oklahoma Statutes as Section 1-291.8 of Title 63, unless
there is created a duplication in numbering, reads as follows:
A. An application for an identification card for survivors once
they sustain a traumatic brain injury (TBI) shall be given to the
family of the TBI survivor when he or she leaves the hospital.
B. Every survivor shall be provided an individual plan for
rehabilitation and reintegration.
C. Students living with and without disabilities as well as
young adults who have sustained a traumatic brain injury shall
assist with helping veterans with TBI.
- I wrote this in because I kept hearing nobody knows how to help us better than we do. Which is true, so why not create a peer support group that is meant to strengthen the morale of each other?
D. The TBI Raiders shall monitor and assist by:
1. Serving as a portal for the Pediatric Brain Injury
Conference committee (I served on this one year and believe it would be beneficial to the success of the recovery for those living with a Traumatic Brain Injury) along with the Secondary and Postsecondary
State Departments to work together to see that students who have
sustained a TBI get an equal chance like their peers without
disabilities in succeeding in school;
2. Providing a smooth transition from high school to college;
3. Providing a scholarship for students and young adults living
with TBI who wish to enter college;
4. Providing employment to students with TBI in college through
members of TBI Raiders;
5. Encouraging students with TBI to create and build their own
online resumes;
6. Participating in monthly meetings where the students and
young adults would be planning and building up the programs for TBI
Raiders;
7. Providing reports every semester to the Oklahoma Legislature
on the successes and failures they have seen in the school with
helping students with TBI;
This would be so the state legislature could have an insight to what was and wasn't working with the legislation
8. Providing seminars to young adults living with disabilities
to help them learn how to speak up and how laws are created and
passed; and
9. Creating the s-2-v.yolasite.com website (already up and running; think the intent here was somehow expand more on the website...I think) to serve as an
online forum for the TBI survivors to have their issues heard.
E. A TBI information packet shall be given to the family of the
TBI survivor in rehabilitation.
I think this is something the state of Tennessee is doing. I know I talked to one of my contacts east of Oklahoma and they told me what they were doing.
F. The TBI Raiders Advisory Council is hereby created which
shall oversee the implementation of this act. The advisory council
shall consist of an executive director, a representative of the
Oklahoma Intercollegiate Legislature, a representative of the Brain
Injury Association of Oklahoma, an individual representing veterans,
a representative of the Oklahoma Department of Rehabilitation
Services, a state representative, a state senator and a doctor who
provides rehabilitative services.
G. 1. The funding for a TBI scholarship shall initially come
from the six TBI Raiders stores.
2. In addition, ten cents ($0.10) shall be received from
penalty assessments on infractions such as DUI, speeding, reckless
driving, accidents causing bodily injury or death, violations of
child safety restraint laws and helmet laws, surcharges on
motorcycle or motor vehicle license tag fees, surcharges on vehicle
registration fees and driver license reinstatement fees.
SECTION 3. This act shall become effective November 1, 2016.
I don't know what if anything Rep. Enns has modified with the bill. I will keep you posted.