You can't smoke tobacco inside of a public place in Illinois to protect others from second hand smoke, so why are you allowed to smoke tobacco in a vehicle with children? I witnessed a mother with 4 young children smoking cigarettes in her car with all of the windows rolled up and the A/C on. If it is illegal to smoke virtually anywhere else in IL, why must children be forced to breathe in second hand smoke from their parents in a car? I am a smoker, and I would never have and would never even consider doing that to my 2 little girls. This is just wrong, and offenders should be fined for subjecting their kids to this.

I have been a nurse for over 10 years and see this daily. It is not getting better, it is getting worse. We are expected to do more in 12 hours than is humanly possible.

More than 100,000 people each year are killed or sustain serious and damaging reactions to drugs that should never have made it to the market. The FDA approves these drugs and asks no questions of the drug companies' supposed studies. This is a form of genocide. If a car or a product did this much damage, there would be serious litigation. If the FDA approves a drug and it kills, maims, or creates a new more serious condition, the FDA should be held responsible!

I just was told by my congressman that the VAMC's received increased funding. Then I did some research on the subject, and they did receive increased funding, BUT the funding per each veteran was much less.

With the Federal Health Care Reform signed by Obama, States will have the option of expanding Medicaid to provide basic health care coverage for every resident of North Carolina. For many, many residents this will be the only opportunity to receive this protection. As a small business owner, my wife has asked how can I provide health insurance for her. Without this change, I cannot provide any form of health insurance for her. Her health care needs will go unmet. Should she become pregnant, many services will be unavailable for her like so many others. Already, we have had to visit the ER because of our inability at the time, to pay for a regular clinic visit. We should place a much higher value on life and the well-being of others. I believe that morally, there is no higher priority in a just society.

Vermont Law School is an ABA accredited law school nestled in the small city of South Royalton, VT. The school opened in 1972 as one of only a handful of independent, private law schools in the U.S. In 2012, the number of entering JD students was 171. Vermont Law has been named one of the best law schools for public interests and for women by the National Jurist. Vermont Law's mission is "To educate students in a diverse community that fosters personal growth and that enables them to attain outstanding professional skills and high ethical values with which to serve as lawyers and environmental and other professionals in an increasingly technological and interdependent global society." The current tuition for a 3 year JD is $46,110 (annually) and the school does not receive any state funding. Currently VLS requires its students who are taking at least 5 credit hours to obtain health insurance. If insurance is not obtained the student risks being charged a noncompliance fee of $1,000.00 per semester. “The schools insurance is offered through Blue Cross Blue Shield with deductible amounts ranging from $ 500 to $ 2,500. The two plans offered differ by deductible amount, varying out-of-pocket maximums, price, etc.” After researching these plans, I realized that Blue Cross and Blue Shield does not extend coverage to transgender students who attend VLS. With Vermont Law being a school that prides itself on the diversity of its student body, it is alarming that a facet of the student population is not covered for medically necessary hormones and/or procedures, all the while being required to purchase this coverage. Currently there are 37 colleges and universities that cover hormones and gender reassignment/confirmation surgeries for students. One of which is only an hour away from VLS in nearby Burlington, VT (University of Vermont). According to www.tgender.net “Transsexualism is very rare. According to the DSM-IV, it affects an estimated 1 in 30,000 people; the latest research estimates that the total annual cost per insured is $.05 to cover surgery, or $.17 to cover surgery, hormones, and therapy. With medical insurance costing upwards of $4,000 per year, to cover THBs would be about .004%.” As you can see it would be very inexpensive to add this insurance inclusion for trans-students and staff at Vermont Law School. If a school wishes to remain competitive in such an over saturated industry, one must continue to offer programs that others don’t. Seeing as how all students pay $46,110 per year, all students’ health needs should be addressed and considered. Please sign my petition to show Vermont Law School that they need to offer an insurance policy that covers the needs of ALL students and staff.

Gmo has helped to cause a tremendous rise in Cancer, Autism and many other diseases, we need to go back to eating real and wholesome, nutritious food.

According to the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in children, secondhand smoke causes the following: -Ear infections -More frequent and severe asthma attacks -Respiratory symptoms (e.g., coughing, sneezing, shortness of breath) -Respiratory infections (i.e., bronchitis, pneumonia) -A greater risk for sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) It's been banned in other state's and it needs to be banned in Illinois. It is banned in other states and should be banned in Illinois.

The lack of adult dental care in California has undermined the state’s healthcare infrastructure. Children’s dental disease, especially among the poor, is at epidemic levels in the state, according to the United States Surgeon General. My mother is a disabled Medi-Cal recipient, and the restoration of these funds would allow her to see the dentist again.

Unlike 62 other countries that currently label GMOs, politicians in Washington continue to protect corporate profits over the public's right-to-know what is in our food. Maine can do better. There’s a bill with broad bi-partisan support in the state legislature this year that would label GMOs in Maine. With big, out of state companies in the biotech and food producing industries pressuring lawmakers to leave GMOs unlabeled, Maine legislators need to hear from you!

Currently the law in New Mexico for sexual consent reflects the ages of 13/16.

With viruses always being spread shouldn't employers be required to provide sick leave to their employees? This past winter and early spring I noticed so many people getting sick: strep throat, the flu(multiple different strains), the norovirus, and the list goes on; many don't take work off because they don't receive any kind of paid sick time and really can't afford it. This just causes the diseases to spread that much easier and faster, with commutes to work and being around your co-workers, then going home to family...; some kind of law needs to be mandated requiring employers to provide at least 40 hours of sick time to their employees.