Editor, Gazette-Journal:

We have tried, really, really tried, to win Del. Harvey Morgan’s support for the autism insurance bill in the General Assembly. At certain times in the past two years he has actually backed the bill, which requires insurance companies to cover specific treatments for autism. However, when his vote is needed at crunch time, he has fallen silent, and the bill has died in his subcommittee twice.

Morgan sits on the House of Delegates’ Labor and Commerce subcommittee #1, which hears insurance matters. Last session, Republican Del. John O’Bannon patroned the autism insurance bill, and Morgan actually joined three other delegates in voting to forward the bill on Feb. 2. Four delegates were opposed, and Del. Bill Janis (Henrico) actually abstained, so O’Bannon’s version of the bill was dead. (You need a majority, so a 4-4-1 result is a defeat in committee.)

I was pleased with Morgan’s vote. Advocates like me had lobbied him w...