As parents of a child with autism, we commend state House candidate Eugene Blankenship for his pledge to fight for those who quite literally cannot speak for themselves, the 6,500-plus children in our state with autism.

Recently, a member of the Republican House leadership said he “is having a hard time understanding autism and what this does to a family.” We were dumbstruck by this statement. Families across the state were at the Capitol nearly every day last session educating our elected officials on what autism does to the child and the family unit.

Nick’s Law was the reason these parents were at the Capitol. Nick’s Law will require private pay insurance companies to cover the cost of diagnosis and treatment of this heartbreaking disease.

Autism is more prevalent than all pediatric cancers, AIDS and Diabetes combined, yet parents are going bankrupt paying for medically necessary treatments that insurance companies in 17 other states pay for.

While Nick’s Law passed the Senate on four separate occasions, Republican House leadership kept this bill from being heard in committee and from making it to the floor of the House where it would have passed there as well.

The disgraceful manner in which these few House Republicans refused to allow Nick’s Law to be heard is one of the reasons why candidate Eugene Blankenship is running against one of the individuals that stopped Nick’s Law from being heard, George Faught.

Independent studies have shown that Nick’s Law would, if at all, increase monthly premiums by $1.66 per individual per month and $4.66 for family policy holders.

The alternative is forcing families to rely on state services and thereby forcing taxpayers to foot the bill.

Blankenship has pledged to stand shoulder to shoulder with parents and other fearless legislators to get Nick’s Law passed next session. So why is Blankenship making Nick’s Law one of his campaign platforms?

Quite simply, it is “the right thing to do.” We need more people like Blankenship at our Capitol, fighting for those who cannot fight for themselves, but most of all for doing the right thing.

Wayne and Robyne Rohde

Edmond