[Arizona-News] FW: Legislative call to action

Sat Feb 17 22:58:26 UTC 2024

From: Amy Porterfield <APorterfield at saavi.us> 
Sent: Saturday, February 17, 2024 1:27 PM
To: nfb.az.president at gmail.com
Subject: Legislative call to action

Dear Federationists,

As you know one of our main legislation action items is to advocate for
increased funding for the Arizona Department of Economic Security (DES)
Independent Living for Older Blind Arizonans (ILB) program. We are happy to
report that Senator Frank Carroll from district 28 introduce SB 1335 which
adds a onetime allocation for one million (1,000,000) Dollars to this year's
appropriation to the ILB program. This is a good start towards our goal of a
permanent increase to support the independent living program for all blind
people living in Arizona. 

SB 1335 will be heard in the Senate Appropriations committee This Tuesday
February 20th at 2:00 PM. 

This is a call to action for all members to write or call each member of the
appropriations committee in support of this funding increase.

Here is a sample of what you may write.

Dear Senator ---,

Currently there are 78,000 older individuals living in Arizona living with
age related  Vision loss. This number will double by 2030. The DES
Independent living program is the only place to receive rehabilitation
services to learn how to live independently with blindness. Bline Arizonans
are waiting over one  year to receive services causing them to resort to
moving out of their homes into assisted living facilities, nursing homes,
and to rely on in-home health services when learning the skills of blindness
will allow them to live out the goals, they set for themselves as retired
citizens. The ILB program has not received a funding increase  since 2008.
This additional funding would allow them to hire more instructors and offer
more services through contracted providers so that older blind Arizonans can
receive the training they need to live successfully and independently.

Then you may write a small paragraph describing either the benefits you
received from blindness training, the difficulties you have faced waiting
for services, or the benefits you have observed from quality blindness
training.

End your email or call with Please support SB1335 so older blind Arizonans
can have the opportunity to live the lives they want.

The names and contacts for the members of the appropriations committee are
below.

District 1, 

Senator Ken Bennett,

KBENNETT at azleg.gov <mailto:KBENNETT at azleg.gov> 

(602) 926-5874

District 3, 

Senator John Kavanagh, 

 <mailto:JKAVANAGH at azleg.gov> JKAVANAGH at azleg.gov

(602) 926-5170

District 5:  

Lela Alston

LAlston at azleg.gov <mailto:LAlston at azleg.gov> 

602) 926-5829

District 8

Senator Juan Mendez -- Assistant Minority Leader, 

 <mailto:JMENDEZ at azleg.gov> JMENDEZ at azleg.gov

(602) 926-4124

District 10

David C. Farnsworth

 <mailto:DFarnsworth at azleg.gov> DFarnsworth at azleg.gov

(602) 926-3387

District 15

Jake Hoffman

 <mailto:Jake.Hoffman at azleg.gov> Jake.Hoffman at azleg.gov

(602) 926-3292

District 22

Eva Diaz

 <mailto:Eva.Diaz at azleg.gov> Eva.Diaz at azleg.gov

(602) 926-3473

District
<https://www.azleg.gov/images/LegislativeDistrictMaps/LegislativeDistrict23.
pdf> 23, 

Senator
<https://www.azleg.gov/Senate/Senate-member/?legislature=56&session=128&legi
slator=2124> Brian Fernandez, 

BFERNANDEZ at azleg.gov <mailto:BFERNANDEZ at azleg.gov> 

(602) 926-3098

District 25 

Senator
<https://www.azleg.gov/Senate/Senate-member/?legislature=56&session=128&legi
slator=2134> Sine Kerr -- Majority Whip, 

SKERR at azlegov.

(602) 926-5955

District 27

Anthony Kern

 <mailto:AKern at azleg.gov> AKern at azleg.gov

(602) 926-3497

Sincerely,

Amy Porterfield, She/Her

President,

Saavi Services for the blind

520-795-1331 EXT 321

 <mailto:aporterfield at saavi.us> aporterfield at saavi.us

 <http://www.saavi.us/> www.saavi.us

Expect More,

Achieve More,

Become mor

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