Alright – so, State Rep Norton who represents Rochester Minnesota said she will not be running for re-election next year in 2016. I for one could not be happier about that for many reasons. Let’s start from the beginning. Rep Norton has single handedly been the queen of autism disparity in Minnesota. If any of her horrible autism legislations passed – we would’ve had even more autism racial disparity.
Norton has written the first autism legislation asking the state legislature to pass a mandate to cover applied behavior analysis therapy for only wealthier private insurance autism families and knowingly excluded poor autism children that had public insurance, i.e. MA or Medicaid. I remember back in 2010 when we first found out one of her first ABA autism bills – we testified against her relentlessly. We went to her office and after we asked why she was writing such discriminatory bill – she kicked us out of her office. Not kidding – this is the Minnesota house which is suppose to be people’s house. And this Representative thought it was her private house. From that day on – we fought her consistently and persistently and prevailed in every legislative session defeating her racist autism bills by asking “cover ABA therapy for all kids or for none”.
To make matters worse, I mistakenly called Dan Pollock who back then was assistant to MN House Majority leader and asked help in appointing someone to fill the vacant seat in MN state autism task force because Rep Slawik (she was good) left. And, what do you know he asks back then Speaker Thissen to appoint Norton. Because of Norton’s divisive tactics and hurtful legislations along with her arrogant personality – the task force ended abruptly before its time and thousands of autism families were left without guidance and assistance at the state legislature. In fact, Norton wrote a bill to dismantle the state task force which passed in the house. Luckily, we fought and won in the senate and in the final Health and Human Services Policy Conference Committee, but the remaining GOP legislators for some reason did not continue the much needed and important state autism task force.
You see whatever Norton touched or wherever she went always ended bad for autism especially minority autism children and families.
We also campaigned against her, but sadly she kept winning. The last election, we could not even get someone to run against her. She represents a fairly conservative part of Rochester and hopefully someone who is compassionate and fair will run this time and win.
Goodbye and Good Riddance Rep Norton – you will NOT be missed by many minority autism families. We are glad you are finally leaving the state legislature.
Not surprisingly, when Norton announced her decision to not run – DFL minority leader Thissen thanked her for her autism work. Now what now? only a clueless Minnesota DFL would think and say something like that out-loud.
Above words do not represent any agency, committee or candidate.
Idil – Somali Autism Mom & Minority Advocate