College students facing life-threatening illnesses would no longer have to worry about remaining full-time students in order to keep their health insurance, if Gov. Jim Doyle signs a recently passed bill into law.

The bill would allow college students who need to take time off for an illness more flexibility by remaining on their parents' health insurance for up to 12 months.

The bill was introduced by Rep. John Nygren, R-Marinette, and passed the Wisconsin Assembly three weeks ago. Sen. Carol Roessler, R-Oshkosh, introduced the bill in the state Senate, where it passed last week. The votes in both houses were unanimous.

Nygren, who works as a self-employed insurance salesperson, said the bill is a necessary mandate on insurance companies to help aid the few students who need it.

"We're not talking about thousands of kids here, but when they need it, it is a severe situation," Nygren said.

The legislation began when Nygren was contacted by one of his constituents, who after receiving two emergency surgeries in late 2006, was forced to remain a full-time student in order to keep his parents' health insurance.

After doing some research, Nygren discovered the story of Michelle Morse, a student at Plymouth State University in Plymouth, N.H., who was diagnosed with advanced colon cancer in late 2003.

Annmarie Morse, Michelle’s mother, said her daughter was forced to remain a full-time college student while going through treatment in order to remain as a dependent on her parents' health insurance.

Despite the treatment requiring Michelle to receive chemotherapy over a 48-hour period every other week, her parents' pleas to the insurance companies for help were never granted.

"It was an unfair loophole. The insurance companies knew they could let her take a leave of absence, but they wouldn't let her," Morse said. "Isn't this why we have insurance, for when we need it the most? And when she needed it, they took it away."

Michelle died of the disease in November 2005, and the two-year anniversary of her death was Saturday, Nov. 10.

"No one should have to go through with what my daughter went through," Morse said. "People have asked me if it would have made a difference. Well, now we'll never know, will we?"

In 2006, the New Hampshire Legislature passed "Michelle's Law." The version passed in New Hampshire is very similar to the bill proposed in Wisconsin, and is also very similar to versions passed in six other states throughout the country.

A similar bill is awaiting discussion in Washington D.C. U.S. Senate Bill 400, introduced by Sen. John Sununu, R-N.H., and Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., is currently in the Committee of Health, Education, Labor and Pensions. Morse said she does not expect discussion to begin on the bill until early 2008.

Calls to Clinton's and Sununu's offices Friday were not returned as of press time.

The bill is still awaiting the governor's review, Doyle spokesperson Carla Vigue said Friday.