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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=421154414-27032013><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2 face=Arial>sorry lucia, i called and got no answer at either
number.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=421154414-27032013><FONT color=#0000ff
size=2 face=Arial>eileen torow</FONT></SPAN></DIV><BR>
<DIV dir=ltr lang=en-us class=OutlookMessageHeader align=left>
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<FONT size=2 face=Tahoma><B>From:</B> Ct-nfb [mailto:ct-nfb-bounces@nfbnet.org]
<B>On Behalf Of </B>llee@nfbct.org<BR><B>Sent:</B> Wednesday, March 27, 2013
10:35 AM<BR><B>To:</B> NFB of CT list serve<BR><B>Subject:</B> [Ct-nfb]
legislative alert!<BR></FONT><BR></DIV>
<DIV></DIV><SPAN style="FONT-FAMILY: Verdana; COLOR: #000000; FONT-SIZE: 12pt">
<DIV> Hi all,</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The Environment Committee of the state legislature is meeting today at
11:00AM to vote on approving pending bills in their committee. HR6654 is
one of them. One section of this bill would remove BESB's first right to vending
facilities in state parks that the DEEP maintains and, instead, open the
facilities to the highest bidder. This would involve 3 state parks (Rocky Neck,
Hammonassett, and Harkness) where blind people now run these vending stations.
We apologize for the late notice, but the agenda was just posted this morning.
Please call the Environment Committee at 860-240-0440 to express disapproval of
section 4 of HR6654. Also a call to Representative Craig Miner, who introduced
this section, would be appreciated. His number 860-842-1423.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Thanks,</DIV>
<DIV>Lucia Lee</DIV>
<DIV>NFB of CT</DIV>
<DIV>860-289-1971</DIV>
<DIV><A href="mailto:llee@nfbct.org">llee@nfbct.org</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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<DIV>In January, Rep Miner introduced HR5817 that proposed amending the
state statutes to exempt concessions provided by the DEEP from the
general requirement that such concessions be provided by the BESB. This bill
has apparently died. However, the wording has been included into
HR6654, which is on the Environment Committee's agenda for Friday's public
hearing. Here is the part that concerns the concessions at DEEP-run parks
Underlined sentences are proposed additions; the entire Sec 4 is an addition
to current statutes.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Book Antiqua">Sec. 3. Subsection (a) of section 10-303 of the
general statutes is repealed and the following is substituted in lieu thereof
(<I>Effective from passage</I>):</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Book Antiqua">(a) The authority in charge of any building or
property owned, operated or leased by the state or any municipality therein
shall grant to the Department of Rehabilitation Services a<B> </B>permit to
operate in such building or on such property a food service facility, a
vending machine or a stand for the vending of newspapers, periodicals,
confections, tobacco products, food and such other articles as such authority
approves when, in the opinion of such authority, such facility, machine or
stand is desirable in such location. Any person operating such a stand in any
such location on October 1, 1945, shall be permitted to continue such
operation, but upon such person's ceasing such operation such authority shall
grant a permit for continued operation to the Department of Rehabilitation
Services. The department may establish a training facility at any such
location. <U class=insert><U>The requirements of this subsection shall not
apply to any state park or forest under the custody and control of the
Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection.</U></U></FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Book Antiqua">Sec. 4. (NEW) (<I>Effective from passage</I>)
The Commissioner of Energy and Environmental Protection shall issue a request
for proposals for the operation of the food service facilities located in the
state parks and forests under the custody and control of the commissioner In
awarding any contract for the operation of such food service facilities, the
commissioner shall award such contract to the highest responsible bidder.
Nothing in this section or section 10-303 of the general statutes, as amended
by this act, shall be construed to prohibit the Bureau of Education and
Services for the Blind from bidding on any contract authorized pursuant to
this section.</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face="Book Antiqua"></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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<DIV>-------- Original Message --------<BR>Subject: impending bill a
concern<BR>From: "Chris Kuell" <<A href="mailto:ckuell@comcast.net"
target=_blank>ckuell@comcast.net</A>><BR></DIV>
<DIV><BR> </DIV>
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<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Hi Lucia,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>I heard that Representative Craig Miner, a
Republican, has attached his bill to take away a blind vendor's first right
of refusal to operate a vending facility in a state park to a bill being
considered by the state Environmental Affairs Committee. If passed, this
would immediately put 3 blind vendors in CT out of work, and of course, set
a terrible precedence for future Randolph-Sheppard
entrepreneurs. </FONT><FONT size=2 face=Arial>His bill became an
amendment to a bill being considered by the environmental
committee. </FONT><FONT size=2 face=Arial></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>Thanks,</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2 face=Arial>chris</FONT></DIV>
<DIV><FONT size=2
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