Hearing loss and the associated problems affect a very large number of seniors, and their families. Personally, as my hearing worsens, it is sometimes impossible to understand what people are saying. This gives me and millions of others the feeling of being out of touch with family, friends and the rest of society. Hearing aids are out of reach for most retired people. Support this petition for the sake of your parents and eventually yourself.

We talk about America becoming very overweight, bad eating habits, lack of exercise etc. We talk about youth in our community who have no guidance, mentors or respect a place to go where there's positive energy and a chance to interact with people/adults who can assist in guiding them. This is an opportunity for us to connect with our youth by providing a service that will help them in many areas and help build confidence and structure. If we fix up a area, build an area where there are trainers/mentors where those of all ages can come together and for those who can't afford otherwise in a safe setting. There have been many closures of Community Centers where people can no longer have such services, and youth have no where else to go for positive mentoring so this would provide a great service and can be provided all across the board. I am the founder of a group/organization called "DEM BOYS OF PROSPECT PARK" as well as a few other personal trainers have been providing such services for the past 3-5 years in Prospect Park, Brooklyn N.Y. free of charge daily having lessons in Calisthenics, Martial Arts, Boxing and Cardio Workouts. We have even started three sites (Facebook, YouTube & Instagram) where we upload and perform in video's to help those along the transition to becoming fit and leading healthier lives with a passion in our hearts to help those succeed. So help us help you and yours in leading a fulfilling healthier lifestyle!!!!

The majority of the American people want and support full legalization of marijuana. 23 states have legalized marijuana one way or another. Kansas deserves to have the benefits of it legalized too. Police devote thousands of hours to arresting, and imprisoning marijuana smokers, many of whom are otherwise law-abiding citizens. That alone could be money used for schools which are in dire need of tax money to continue educating our young. Cannabis has legitimate medical affects including uses for epilepsy, pain from AIDS, nausea from chemotherapy, glaucoma, Crohn's disease, multiple sclerosis, muscle spasms, depression, anxiety, and the list continues to grow. Cannabis is less harmful than alcohol or tobacco . Marijuana is less addictive than tobacco or alcohol and compares favorably to those drugs on nearly every health metric . Casual use by adults poses little or no risk for healthy people. It is proven time and time again that alcohol impaired drivers and causes rage. By legalizing the use of marijuana the crime rate will drastically change. Also providing money for schools, roads, bridges, and relieve taxpayers as a whole.

When my brother James was diagnosed with Autism in the early 1990's, this disorder was very rare. In 2000, 1 in 150 children were identified as having autism or similar disorders. By 2010, this number reached 1 in 68 (CDC). Many of those diagnosed will never be able to care for themselves, and many have health and behavioral problems that make them difficult to care for. My brother's first residential placement in Virginia fell through after 3 1/2 years in May. Months of searching yielded only the terrifying reality that there is no other residential placement in the state that can meet his needs. His behavioral issues, while very common in adults with Autism, make it so that no care facility feels that they are equipped to handle him. The nice "homes" that you see on television and in movies for adults with disabilities do not exist; not for people like my brother. James and others his age are only the crest of a demographic tidal wave about to hit. Unless we act quickly to create the infrastructure and the programs to care for those who will never be able to care for themselves, we will be left with countless struggling families with nowhere to turn for help. People with Autism and other disabilities deserve to have real adult lives where they can live in supported, social environments with caretakers who understand their needs. Families deserve to know that their loved ones can be cared for after they can no longer do so.

I care about this issue because AA is not what it appears to be. It sooner or later fails for 95% of the people who try it. AA and NA also foster cultures of sexual and emotional abuse. Part of the problem with the misconstruction of AA and 12 Step Program in the larger culture is that AA misrepresents itself to the media and also to newer members. However, all those that understand 12 Step Program know that AA in particular is based on a very literal interpretation of its texts. This is especially true for what is known as the Big Book. Thus, working the “steps” means following verbatim directions laid out in this text. This methodology is more religious than scientific, and is more cult-like even than religious. True, at times AA espouses most if not all of the various Christian virtues. However, the core principal of the Step program is forcing the “alcoholic/addict” to realize that any pain the “alcoholic/addict” has ever felt is the “alcoholic/addict’s” own fault. While this idea runs throughout the steps, it is most obviously presented on p.62 "Selfishness--self-centeredness! That, we think, is the root of our troubles. Driven by a hundred forms of fear, self-delusion, self-seeking and self-pity, we step on the toes of our fellows and they retaliate. Sometimes they hurt us, seemingly without provocation, but we invariably find that at some time in the past we have made decisions based on self which later placed us in a position to be hurt" (p.62). If this idea were applied carefully and with exceptions, it might be a reasonable code of ethics--assuming that one considers being void of “self” a useful therapeutic objective. However, the use of “invariably" serves as a universal endorsement of abuse, not for a therapeutic coming to terms with the past. Thus, at the most obvious level anyone who enters AA with trauma, abuse, especially sexual trauma and childhood abuse, is almost certainly going to be further traumatized in AA and NA. Those that do well in AA tend to be narcissist abusers or sociopaths and many of their victims are newer members. Of course current AA members, increasingly aware of the growing Anti-AA movement, insist that anyone who complains of ill-treatment in AA is inferior in one way or another. AA argues that AA critics didn’t “work a good Program,” but outside of AA a more accurate term for AA’s tactics is not surprisingly “blaming the victim.” Thus, for those paying attention, the Pro AA attacks on Anti-AA dissenters prove the core claims of Anti-AA, whether AA acknowledges this as valid or not.

I started this petition because I was diagnosed with T1D in 1972 at the age of 14 and have lived with this disease for 43 years. From December 2014 to May 2015 I had noticeable improvement in glucose levels when I was given a 6 month opportunity to use CGM. The acute implications associated with T1D lessened. I had constant awareness of my glucose levels and therefore was able to treat the highs and the lows prior to a major medical event that could have put my life in jeopardy. This biotechnology makes a difference because it improves lives and decreases healthcare costs associated with the management of this illness and the medical complications that result from chronic high glucose levels.

Being in recovery we have experienced firsthand the negative impacts on recovering addicts when not provided a sufficient amount of time in an inpatient treatment facility.

I have a severely non-verbal autistic grandson who is not getting proper care for his needs! I also am afraid of what will happen to him when he becomes an adult with no benefits or safety plan in place.

I have been effected by this problem, as well as everyone who goes to my pain clinic. I have been told that I must retire by three different doctors because of my major and multiple spine problems and EDS, and that they are sorry they are barred from using effective medications for pain. I've heard that they have cut the veterans of the United States of America off completely at the VA hospitals. How can they treat all of us who have fought for our country with such cruelty?

Raise tons of tax dollars for schools, stop imprisoning innocent people, and be the first southern state to make this logical and historic change for the betterment of our society as a whole.

On average someone's dying every 13 minutes of overdose to heroin/opiates. Many of whom are under 21 yrs old. We NEED more doctors and more options for treatment and maintenance based treatment. Studies show that Suboxone and methadone based treatment saves lives.Unfortunately, there is just NOT enough programs to treat the growing numbers.We are advocating for funding to open more programs and ALLOW the cap of 100 patient's per provider to be increased to help serve the rapidly growing NEED!

A new law will not allow parents to SAVE THEIR OWN CHILDREN! Even if your son or daughter had a addiction problem and you wanted to help them... If they have Medicaid, YOU CAN'T! I know it sounds absurd... IT IS and It's real! I personally lost two brothers to this terrible addiction and I know I cannot save them... We simply want to save the lives of those addicted without the "shackles" of bureaucracy. We KNOW we have saved MANY lives already but recent law changes for Medicaid Patients are literally sending REAL people.. our neighbors, friends, co-workers and relatives (sometimes unbeknownst to us) back to the streets and in the arms of the drug dealers. Please help by signing this petition NOW! Help us STOP THIS INSANITY! Thank you!