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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Hi Lucia, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>The phone number listed below for Craig Minor doesn’t seem to be correct. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>I ended up calling the House Republicans line and they transferred me to his office. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>The phone number for House Republicans is 860-240-8700. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> I was able to connect with one of his aides who was very accommodating. <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><i><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'>Janet <o:p></o:p></span></i></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #B5C4DF 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Tahoma","sans-serif"'> 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!<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> Hi all,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>Thanks,<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>Lucia Lee<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>NFB of CT<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>860-289-1971<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><a href="mailto:llee@nfbct.org">llee@nfbct.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:6.0pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt' id=replyBlockquote><div id=wmQuoteWrapper><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>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.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";color:black'>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>):</span><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";color:black'>(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>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></span><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Book Antiqua","serif";color:black'>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.</span><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><blockquote style='border:none;border-left:solid blue 1.5pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 6.0pt;margin-left:6.0pt;margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt' id=replyBlockquote><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'>-------- Original Message --------<br>Subject: impending bill a concern<br>From: "Chris Kuell" <<a href="mailto:ckuell@comcast.net" target="_blank">ckuell@comcast.net</a>><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><br> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Hi Lucia,</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>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. His bill became an amendment to a bill being considered by the environmental committee. </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Thanks,</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>chris</span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Verdana","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></blockquote></div></blockquote></div></body></html>