I am currently drafting a proposal that I will submit to my congressman to have a bill introduced to the house. This will be for what I am calling Stephens Law. The law would give the state the ability to prosecute people who knowingly use drugs and or alcohol while pregnant which result\'s in the birth of a child with severe mental and or physical disabilities. I have been dealing with children with these disabilities for some time and I am frustrated at the fact that the parents of such kids can do this with no recourse, and continue to do this. There needs to be a severe penalty for these parents. They are destroying the lives of these innocent children. These children end up being wards of the state, and in severe cases the children are stuck into institution\'s. These children are being brought into this world with out the oportunites that they deserve. These parents need to be dealt with and held criminaly liable for there actions. If we were to do something to another human being, which caused them to lose there ability to function in society we would be held responsible. These parents should not be granted immunity to this just because the baby has not been born yet. As an example, if a child is born with severe physical disabilities because of illicit drug use during pregnancy, and that child dies 1 month or even 10 years later because of that disability which was the cause of drug use, that parent can be prosecuted for manslaughter because the parents drug use inevitably resulted in the death of the child. This is an extreme example, but can be followed with edangering the life of a child, neglect, child abuse, etc.. Please help this bill become a law. It is time to stand up and speak for those who can not speak for themselves, but trust us to take care of them and to love them. They are our children.

Sponsor