[Colorado-Talk] You're kidding, make more calls?

[Dan Burke]

Good morning NFB of Colorado!

Yes, more calls. Thanks to all for your efforts to ensure that
HB21-1110 - Colorado Laws for Persons with Disabilities was funded and
passed in the recently-ended 2021 Colorado General Assembly Session.
The legislators definitely heard from Coloradans with disabilities
that equal access to our state and local governments, their programs
and services, had to be a high priority. And the voices of the NFB of
Colorado were as loud as any! As a result of our efforts, HB21-1110 is
awaiting the Governor's signature.

But to paraphrase the oft-quoted Yogi Berra, "What have we done lately?"

Now is a great time to turn our attention to the Access Technology
Affordability Act (ATAA) and put our grass-roots advocacy skills to
work on getting more Colorado members of Congress to become cosponsors
of the ATAA.

We already have three House cosponsors - Reps. Degette, Crow and
Neguse. And by the way, all three of them were cosponsors in the
previous session of Congress. So it's time to get some new Coloradans
on this legislation!

Remind me, what does the ATAA do? This is the bill that would create a
tax credit for blind people when we purchase the assistive technology
we need to function day-to-day - in our homes and at work. Screen
readers like JAWS, expensive CCTVs, Braille note takers and displays
and more. We all know how much these things cost. The ATAA would give
us a tax credit of up to $2000 over a three-year period. That means we
buy the technology and at tax time we get up to $2000 back, whether we
would be paying taxes or not. If we don't spend it all in one year,
the difference is still available for the next two years.

Here's the link to the Fact Sheet if you want to read more:
https://www.nfb.org/programs-services/advocacy/washington-seminar/washington-seminar-priorities/fact-sheet-access

Okay, enough of that gritty detail. Who do we need to call?

Let's start with our two Senators, Michael Bennet and John
Hickenlooper. We can all call their offices to ask that they cosponsor
S. 212, that's the Senate bill. Call, say your name, where you live
and that you are a member of the NFB, and you ask/request/urge the
Senator to cosponsor S. 212, the Access Technology Affordability Act.

Honestly, you probably won't get much time to say more than that, and
if you have to remember anything, remember S. 212. That is what will
get recorded. I'm including the twitter handles with the phone
numbers, for those of you that are Twitter users. This is an effective
way to get the attention of both members of Congress and the state
legislature.

Senator Michael Bennet
202-224-5852, (Washington, DC office)
@SenBennetCO (Twitter)

Senator John Hickenlooper
202-224-5941
@SenatorHick


If you live in the district of any of the following, please also call
your Representative. The bill in the House is HR 431, and we want
these four Colorado House members to cosponsor:

Rep. Doug Lamborn
202-225-4422
@RepDLamborn

Rep. Ed Perlmutter
202-225-2645
@repperlmutter

Rep. Ken Buck
202-225-4676
@RepKenBuck

Rep. Lauren Boebert
202-225-4761
@RepBoebert

Thanks all for your work. Our combined voices are what make a difference!

Best,

Dan


-- 
Dan Burke

National Federation of the Blind of Colorado Legislative Co-chair

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