<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Good morning,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I would like to give a shout out to Chris, Ed, Ali, Heather and anyone else who contacted Senator Obhof’s office since Wednesday. These were crucial contacts to show that we are still here, and we will “stand our ground, and we won’t back down.” (I was blasting Tom Petty in the car on the way back to Cincinnati!)<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>What’s next? I want to wish you all a very Merry Christmas!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Then, on Wednesday, Mike and I will sit down with Senator Obhof’s Legislative staff to remind them that HB 309 has not met any opposition, and that it needs to be put on the agenda for Thursday’s Senate session. We were able to get through the gate to this office, and we do not plan to leave without a favorable outcome.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thursday morning, we will be at the Rules and Reference Committee again, to show our smiling faces, where we will get the agenda for the day’s session.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>What can you do? Because of the holiday, you can get started with flooding Senator Obhof’s office with emails of Season’s Greetings and urge him to place HB 309 on the Senate session agenda. See below the message to send to the following email address: <a href="mailto:obhof@ohiosenate.gov">obhof@ohiosenate.gov</a> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dear Senator Obhof,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>As President of the Senate, and Chair of the Senate Rules and Reference Committee, I am contacting you in regards to HB 309. The National Federation of the Blind of Ohio is in full support of this bill. This piece of legislation would prohibit a person's blindness from being used to deny or limit custody, parenting time, visitation, adoption, guardianship, or foster caregiver regarding a minor. Again, we are in support of this legislation, it should be noted that H.B. 309 has not faced any opposition during the legislative process. Please support HB 309, and schedule it for vote before the full Senate on Thursday, December 27, 2018.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>On Wednesday, you can resume your phone calls to the office with the same message at 614-466-7505.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you very much, and we will keep you posted.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sheri Albers, Vice President<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Ohio<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>