[Colorado-talk] Our Day at the Capitol, Feb. 11

[Dan Burke]

Hope you've made yur plans to come to our 2019 Day at the Capitol.
It's barely a week away, Monday February 11 from 8 a.m. till noon or
so in SCR (Senate Committee Room) 352.

Why not 100 blind Coloradans to match 100 legislators?  Come and bring
your friends!

Is it important for you to come?  Yes, the 100 members of the Colorado
General Assembly pay attention to all those blind people tramping
across the marble floors to shake their hands and tell them  about the
concerns of the blind of our state.  They remember and, from year to
year, look forward to hearing from us.  The more of us that come, the
bigger the impact.

Remember, last year we kicked off our "Preserve Our Families" effort
that, with the guidance of now-Senator Jessie Danielson resulted in
stronger protections for the rights of parents with disabilities in
Colorado.  That legislation passed with overwhelming support in both
houses of the legislature.  Don't doubt for a minute that the NFB
members who were at the Capitol on Feb. 14 last year helped make that
happen.

Briefly, here are the priorities we want to bring to the 100 members
of the 2019 Colorado General Assembly:

*	Thank them for increasing the funding in 2018 for NFB Newsline.  We
want to make sure they know that we appreciate their support for our
continued access to current newspapers from Colorado and across the
country.

*	We want the choice to vote privately and independently from our own
homes, giving us convenience in voting equivalent  to our sighted
neighbors and friends - something overlooked in the implementation of
Colorado's mail ballot system.  It's time for a secure, accessible
solution for blind voters that does not rely on PDF ballots.

*	Tell our legislators that the Blind Low Vision Services (BLVS) unit
of Colorado DVR is doing a much better job providing critical
vocational rehabilitation services to blind Coloradans since January
1, 2016 than was the case before that, and that we want to ensure that
structure  is cemented in place and expanded.  Remember how wildly
inconsistent (and sometimes downright terrible) services to blind
clients was before 2016?  We intend to ensure that BLVS remains strong
and effective well into the future.

Again, we'll be meeting in SCR 352, which is on the 3rd floor of the
Capitol.  Note that we aren't in the Old Supreme Court Chambers as we
have been for years, because that room is undergoing renovations.  Be
sure to come early enough to get through security and find the room by
8 a.m.  We will start things up no later than 8:30.

And wear your walking shoes!

-- 
Dan Burke
President, NFB of Denver

"Blindness is not what holds you back.  You can live the life you want!"
My Cell:  406.546.8546
Twitter:  @DallDonal