WILLIAMS AMENDMENT WOULD PUT "ERIN'S LAW" INTO EFFECT SOONER

HARRISBURG, March 20, 2002 -- The Senate today adopted an amendment to "Erin's Law" offered by Sen. Constance H. Williams which would require the law go into effect a year sooner than originally planned.

However, Williams' effort to restore a preamble to the bill, which referred to the 4-year-old girl who inspired it, failed on a party-line vote.

"I've no doubt we've acted in the best interest of children today, not only by passing the bill but by moving up the effective date," Williams said. "I'm disappointed, however, that we could not acknowledge the courage and strength Erin and her family showed throughout her illness."

"Erin's Law" establishes sanitation standards for petting zoos and requires that incidents of E. coli infection be reported to the state Health Department. The bill was inspired by Erin Jacobs, now 4, of Montgomery County, who nearly died after contracting E. coli at a petting zoo in October 2000.

"Sen. Waugh's bill did include a preamble which referenced Erin but the Appropriations Committee amended the bill to strike it," Williams explained.

The amended bill passed the Senate unanimously and was sent to the House for consideration.