[CT-NFB] FW: testimony for SB397: An Act Concerning Library Service for Persons Who are Blind, Visually Impaired or Have Other Disabilities

Thu Mar 24 16:52:16 UTC 2022

Hi members, you will get responses if you just become active. Thanks, Beth 

From: llee at nfbct.org <llee at nfbct.org> 
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2022 11:15 AM
To: 'Elizabeth Rival' <erival at comcast.net>
Subject: FW: testimony for SB397: An Act Concerning Library Service for
Persons Who are Blind, Visually Impaired or Have Other Disabilities

From: zRepresentative Donna Veach <Donna.Veach at housegop.ct.gov
<mailto:Donna.Veach at housegop.ct.gov> > 
Sent: Thursday, March 24, 2022 10:33 AM
To: 'llee at nfbct.org' <llee at nfbct.org <mailto:llee at nfbct.org> >
Subject: testimony for SB397: An Act Concerning Library Service for Persons
Who are Blind, Visually Impaired or Have Other Disabilities

Dear Elizabeth,

I hope you are well. Thank you for sending me a copy of your testimony for
the Appropriation' s Committee regarding SB 397. I can understand your
concerns over this proposal and moving the Library for the Blind and
Physically Handicapped (LBPH) out of Middletown with the Connecticut State
Library. I will be sure to keep this in mind when and if this proposal comes
up for a vote in the House.

Again, thanks for reaching out about this important issue. 

Sincerely,

Donna 

State Representative Donna Veach 

30th District - Berlin and Southington

House Republican Office | Connecticut General Assembly

Donna.Veach at housegop.ct.gov <mailto:Donna.Veach at housegop.ct.gov> 

Office: 800.842.1423 

From: llee at nfbct.org <mailto:llee at nfbct.org>  <llee at nfbct.org
<mailto:llee at nfbct.org> > 
Sent: Wednesday, March 23, 2022 10:39 AM
To: AppTestimony <apptestimony at cga.ct.gov <mailto:apptestimony at cga.ct.gov> >
Cc: Rep. Abercrombie, Catherine <Catherine.Abercrombie at cga.ct.gov>; Rep.
Veach, Donna <Donna.Veach at cga.ct.gov <mailto:Donna.Veach at cga.ct.gov> >; Sen.
Lopes, Rick <Rick.Lopes at cga.ct.gov <mailto:Rick.Lopes at cga.ct.gov> >;
Maryanne.melley at gmail.com <mailto:Maryanne.melley at gmail.com> ;
andrew.norton at ct.gov <mailto:andrew.norton at ct.gov> 
Subject: testimony for SB397: An Act Concerning Library Service for Persons
Who are Blind, Visually Impaired or Have Other Disabilities

March 23, 2022

RE: SB397: An Act Concerning Library Service For Persons Who Are Blind,
Visually Impaired or Have Other Disabilities

Dear Chairs Osten and Walker, Vice Chairs Hartley, Dathan and Nolan, and
members of the Appropriations Committee,

I am First Vice President of the National Federation of the Blind of
Connecticut, the largest organization of blind people in our state. The
National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut is not in favor of SB397: An
Act Concerning Library Service for Persons Who Are Blind, Visually Impaired
or Have Other Disabilities. I would like to state that we are not in favor
of moving the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped (LBPH) out of
Middletown with the Connecticut State Library. SB397 proposes moving LBPH to
the Department of Aging and Disability Services which would maintain the
service. Money spent for this change would be very wasteful. The Library,
currently located in Middletown, is running just fine. Six years ago, we
were notified by the then-director of the LBPH that the Library would be
moved from their old location in Rocky Hill to the Middletown Library
Service Center. As items become digitized, less space is required.

The Department of Aging and Disability Services, more specifically the
Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind is not in a position to
maintain the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped. The Bureau
currently has issues with retirements creating several open positions,
including the Director position. Also of special importance to the blind
community is the assistant technology trainer position that has been open
for almost 2 years. This open position creates a major problem for blind
people because technology is always changing and evolving. Any funding for
the Department of Aging and Disability Services, Bureau of Education and
Services for the Blind should not be wasted on moving and reorganizing an
already effective Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped, but
rather be spent on filling these and other job positions that serve the
blind community in Connecticut. 

Thank you for listening to our positions on these very important issues. 

Elizabeth Rival

Vice President

National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut

860-916-0459

erival at comcast.net <mailto:erival at comcast.net> 

CC:       Senator Catherine Abercrombie

            Representative Donna Veach

            Representative Rick Lopes

Maryanne Melley, President, National Federation of the Blind of CT

            Andrew Norton, Bureau of Education and Services for the Blind

111 Sheldon Road, Unit 420, Manchester, CT 06045

Tel. 860.289.1971
<https://gcc02.safelinks.protection.outlook.com/?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.nfbct.
org%2F&data=04%7C01%7CBobbie.Bergeron%40cga.ct.gov%7Cf13a6acd88904863955308d
a0da2ea49%7C3ec76714b1b4418a883232c46ec84226%7C0%7C0%7C637837290618312484%7C
Unknown%7CTWFpbGZsb3d8eyJWIjoiMC4wLjAwMDAiLCJQIjoiV2luMzIiLCJBTiI6Ik1haWwiLC
JXVCI6Mn0%3D%7C3000&sdata=Kn9LWgeSDq1LqIP2MCa2udOhYtC0gCEzOyuuPcWok5k%3D&res
erved=0> www.nfbct.org         Maryanne Melley, President

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