Sunday, January 21, 2007

Booth introduces restroom access bill at Miss Delaware's urging


DOVER -- Miss Delaware and Rep. Joe Booth (R-Georgetown) are fighting for the public's right to potty.

Booth introduced House Bill 3, the Restroom Access Act, which would require some businesses to provide public access for private restrooms if a customer has a medical condition, such as Crohn's disease or colitis.

Booth and co-sponsor Sen. Thurman Adams (D-Bridgeville) introduced the bill at the urging of Miss Delaware, Jamie Ginn. Ginn's sister was diagnosed with Crohn's disease in 2000.

"At that time I didn't know what it was or understand how serious it was," Ginn said. "I've been advocating her cause through the Miss America organization, and that will be my platform for Miss America."

Crohn's disease and colitis are bowel diseases that cause chronic inflammation of the intestinal tract. Both cause severe watery or bloody diarrhea and abdominal pain, according to the Mayo Clinic's Web site. Crohn's disease often spreads deep into the affected tissue, and can occur anywhere in the digestive tract. Colitis affects only the lining of the colon and rectum. There is no cure for either disease.

While Ginn has been advocating for Crohn's disease and colitis awareness for the last five years, her inspiration for the Restroom Access Act came over summer 2006. Ginn met a young girl from Texas who had been diagnosed with Crohn's disease. The girl, named Katherine, had been shopping in a Halloween store and the manager refused to let her use the private restroom.

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