Law Pushed By PEARL JAM Guitarist To Be Enacted

May 15, 2009

The Pulse of Radio reports that PEARL JAM guitarist Mike McCready scored a victory for himself and others who suffer from Crohn's disease earlier this week, when Washington state governor Chris Gregoir signed a bill into law mandating that businesses without public lavatories have to let people with inflammatory bowel ailments use their employee restrooms in an emergency. According to the Seattle Times, McCready lobbied state legislators for passage of the bill back in February. Retailers throughout the state must now let people with Crohn's and similar disorders access to their private restrooms, provided they have either a note or ID from a doctor, and that the business has three or more employees.

The bill takes effect on July 26.

Crohn's inflames the bowels and can cause sudden diarrhea and extreme stomach pains. McCready has spoken out publicly about the disease, saying it has even affected him onstage in the middle of PEARL JAM shows.

Three states — Illinois, Michigan and Texas — already have similar laws on the books. Nearly 30,000 people in Washington are afflicted with Crohn's.

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