First, let me thank you for covering a subject so very important to me: hot car deaths of children.
Second, I need help spreading the word about Cooper's Law, federal legislation I'm working on to protect kids and dogs from hot car death. This is in honor of little Cooper Harris, who died one year ago after being left in his dad's hot car in Georgia.
I am a former friend of his father (who was accused of killing the 22-month-year old after leaving him in a car for four hours) and have created a group dedicated to spreading the word about hot car death as well our work toward federal legislation requiring stiffer uniform nationwide penalties. Currently, 31 states place hot car deaths under abuse laws, and penalties are minimal, even when a child or animal dies.
Just Georgia, Tennessse and North Carolina allow someone to effect a rescue of a child or dog without fear of criminal or civil prosecution, and there is no push for federally mandated car seat alarms.
I hope to find sponsorship for the legislation, as well as creating educational materials to be disseminated in veterinary offices, pediatricians' offices and hospital nurseries.
Finally, I have paired my small crafts company with the Res-Q-Me company to create the Bunky's Res-Q-Me Window Blaster, which safely cracks a car window's glass and allows a child or dog to be rescued.
It can also be used to save yourself or someone else in the event of an accident in which power door locks and windows become inactive and malfunction.
You can learn more at www.Facebook.com/cooperslaw.
What's your view? Write a letter to the editor or tweet News Bulletin Editor Thomas Boni.
This article originally appeared on Crestview News Bulletin: Proposed legislation raises awareness of hot car deaths