Steve Lambert: Senators, my name is Steve Lambert. I've come to put a little bit of reality into this meeting. I'm a C-2 quadropleagic as a result of a motorcycle crash sixteen years ago.

And Mr. Morrow is going to come up and he's going to tell you that I wasn't wearing a helmet and that I did not sustain a head injury. Both of those facts are true, but the cost of my care is comparitive and staggering.

I'd like to run over three quick items that the taxpayers of California every year for the last ten years, and for the rest of my life, will pay for. My nursing coverage, $330,000 a year, and that's if I stay healthy. My housing assistance, $6,000 a year. And SSI, $200,000 to date.

To date, I have eaten up $4 million of taxpayers money. This is just for me to remain in an apartment living on my own. I had $2 million in private medical insurance which lasted only four years from the date of my injury.

I'm living with this every day.

Let's stop bumping up the speeds on the highways. If you want to do that, let's keep the safety measures in place. Thank you.

Senator Kelley: Thank you. Next witness.

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