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As recently as 30 years go, a bill like the one introduced in the Legislature by Sen. Leah Landrum-Taylor would have been unnecessary. Today, as many families can attest, it is essential.

Landrum-Taylor, a Phoenix Democrat, introduced a measure to provide a modest amount of money to help grandparents who are raising their grandchildren.

AARP, the organization that lobbies on behalf of older Americans, supported the bill. A spokesman for the group cited Census Bureau data showing that Arizona ranks fourth in the nation for the number of grandparents raising their grandchildren. As of last July, 96,062 children in Arizona were living in a grandparent-headed household.

Nationally, the Census Bureau reports that in 1996, more than 1.4 million children were living with their grandparents without the help of parents. Fast forward to 2005 and that figure jumped to 4.6 million

The Landrum-Taylor bill was approved by the Senate's Public Safety and Human Services Committee on a vote of 4-3, and then shamelessly was killed by Sen. Bob Burns, R-Peoria. Burns declined to place it on the agenda of the Appropriations Committee, which he chairs.

While the bill is dead, the need for it remains. Landrum-Taylor and a variety of organizations hope it will become part of the budget process and be included in the appropriation for the Arizona Department of Economic Security.

We support that direction and join four Arizona organizations in advocating financial assistance to grandparents who are raising a second family. In addition to AARP, they are the Arizona's Children Association, Casey Family Programs and the Arizona Kinship Care Coalition.

These organizations are sponsoring a "Grandfamilies Rally" at the state Capitol from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. March 14. Participants will gather on the Senate lawn. Those who can spare the time are urged to join the rally.

Landrum-Taylor's bill would provide permanent financial assistance for grandparents throughout the state by appropriating $2 million to the DES. Grandparents could then apply to DES to receive a monthly allowance of not more than $75 per child.

It would also provide "one-time transitional assistance not to exceed $300 per child to help cover the cost of additional beds and furniture, and other necessary expenses related to transitioning the child into the grandparents' home."

According to the National Resource Center for Respite and Crisis Care Services, one of the most common causes for grandparents' raising grandchildren is substance abuse by the child's parent.

"Other reasons include child abuse, neglect and abandonment, teenage pregnancy, death, joblessness, divorce, incarceration and illness, especially HIV/AIDS," the nonprofit group said.

The amount, as most adults realize, is very modest, especially if the child is a teenager. In Tucson, $75 a month would barely cover the household's increase in expenses for food and water.

We urge Gov. Janet Napolitano to fight vigorously to have the $2 million appropriation included in the state budget. No one should allow the Legislature to perpetuate Arizona's image as a state where social justice issues are viewed as too costly, while protections for businesses, such as a payday lenders, are viewed as essential.