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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='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='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"'> Norton, Andrew [mailto:Andrew.Norton@ct.gov] <br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, June 17, 2015 5:44 PM<br><b>To:</b> DORS-DL BESB; joe.abely@carroll.org; Sylvestre, Alan; 'brucewoodie@msn.com'; 'chrisb274@gmail.com'; 'e.g.akers@sbcglobal.net'; 'Darcy.Jones@cga.ct.gov'; 'mcdodd3020@sbcglobal.net'; 'pjohnson18@snet.net'; 'bdemaio@newbritainct.gov'; 'randaanddon@sbcglobal.net'; Ferron-Poole, Astread O.; 'ckuell@comcast.net'; 'fairbanks@ldeo.columbia.edu'; 'iancrickard11@gmail.com'; 'llee@nfbct.org'; 'jaykronfeld@sbcglobal.net'; 'famigliettis@ciboakhill.org'; 'info@nfbct.org'; 'kathybmorgan@yahoo.com'; 'erival@comcast.net'; 'carolyn.messier@aol.com'; 'piggottd@ciboakhill.org'; Smith, Robert C; Krengel, Erich; 'stsf@stsfoundation.com'; 'cindy.paluch@asd-1817.org'; 'optometric.assoc01@snet.net'; 'Eyecare@inclima.net'; 'epinnod@aol.com'; 'Dr.george.adrian@snet.net'; 'Westendeyecare@snet.net'; 'ks@drkimstevens.com'; 'Rkinkade@optonline.net'; 'rstrand@eyecarect.com'; 'optometric.assoc01@snet.net'; 'Drswsm@yahoo.com'; 'bboogie@snet.net'; 'davidparke@comcast.net'; 'larrykline@bigplanet.com'; 'enfield-eyecare@cox.net'; 'mgenlot@snet.net'; 'r.h.tyler@sbcglobal.net'; 'lighthouse63@gmail.com'; White, Dee A.; Gerundo-Murkette, Margaret A.; 'ks@drkimstevens.com'; 'steve.perreault@hknc.org'; 'rjcloonan@comcast.net'; 'tracy.luiselli@perkins.org'; Thal, Stephen; 'funnytomkaren@gmail.com'; 'dawgmawm@gmail.com'; 'charlie@visiondynamics.com'; Cunnane, Brian; Dombrowski, Stephen; 'c.rafala@snet.net'; 'clow@independenceunlimited.org'; 'sbaecker@crisradio.org'; 'jbperacchio@gmail.com'; 'dgregoire@liberty-bank.com'; 'sarah.bowman1@va.gov'; 'stovallb@ciboakhill.org'; '5040psbs@cox.net'; 'c.ford3@sbcglobal.net'; 'alfredthompsonjr@yahoo.com'; Henaire, Heidi; 'lewis_andrews@sbcglobal.net'; 'mvlagocki@aol.com'; 'dave.figley@snet.net'; 'famigliettis@ciboakhill.org'; 'ajackson212@att.net'; 'junerose@startsimply.com'; 'eileen.healy@independencenorthwest.org'; 'cconway@drcfc.org'; 'marcanthony@cdr-ct.org'; 'ferrycathy@yahoo.com'; 'magallucci@aol.com'; 'momforch@yahoo.com'; 'cheleot@comcast.net'; 'diana200561@yahoo.com'; 'f_roberts@comcast.net'; 'joenerney@charter.net'; DeCordova, Marisel; 'marysilverfox@gmail.com'; 'Rb8876@aol.com'; 'khaley18@comcast.net'; 'pvlandis@ncc.commnet.edu'; 'Barbara.blejewski@sbcglobal.net'; 'dwdunne@crisradio.org'; Miles, Sandra; 'connecticutcounciloftheblind@gmail.com'; 'lbphtom@gmail.com'; 'futureeyecare2020@gmail.com'; 'nyemapinkney@comcast.net'; 'carlnoll@sbcglobal.net'; 'AlbanB@aol.com'; 'emtelk@optonline.net'; 'diannmurray1@gmail.com'; 'emmbee4@yahoo.com'; 'e.email@snet.net'; 'daria@ctsilc.org'; 'centeroftheblind@sbcglobal.net'; Reddick, Gordon; 'bob.gorman@independencenorthwest.org'; Hayles, Colleen; 'f_roberts@ymail.com'; 'khaley18@comcast.net'; 'pvlandis@ncc.commnet.edu'; 'ResQbeest@aol.com'; Hayles, Colleen; Nunez, Alicia; 'cmb@cancorp.org'; 'wildblue027@yahoo.com'; 'italiacherry84@yahoo.com'; 'lisaflahertyvaughn@gmail.com'; Marioni, Kathleen; 'sandrasmith100256@yahoo.com'; '24fado@optonline.net'; Bartley, Michael; 'lori@cambridgespecialty.com'; 'satkowski@sbcglobal.net'; 'kimberlytindallct@gmail.com'; Goolgar, Jamila; 'sandrastreeter381@gmail.com'; 'caseypm101260@gmail.com'; 'Personal.edward@gmail.com'; 'natebarneseverybody@gmail.com'; 'rcdeblasio@gmail.com'<br><b>Subject:</b> 2015 Legislative Session update<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Hello all:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>I am writing to tell you of the final disposition of some bills of interest to us this legislative session. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>House Bill 6268 – An Act Concerning Pediatric Vison Screening.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>This bill was raised for a public hearing and passed by the Public Health Committee. It reached the House Floor but was not voted on and died in the House. It would have required primary care providers to perform a vison test every year for all patients from the age of one until kindergarten.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>House Bill 5526 - An Act Expanding Healthy Food Choices on State Property and in State-Supported Institutions. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>This bill was raised in the Public Health Committee and had a public hearing. It was not passed by the Committee and went no further. The bill would have required that food served or sold at state agencies, including in vending machines, meet nutritional standards and meet health and sustainability guidelines. This bill would have affected BESB’s food service facilities and vending machines. The bill did not proceed but the issue will likely arise again in future legislative sessions. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Senate Bill 1061 – An Act Concerning the Fiscal Sustainability of State Parks.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>This bill was raised and had a public hearing in the Environment Committee. It passed that Committee as well as the Transportation and Appropriations Committees. It was passed in the Senate and the House and awaits the Governor’s signature. When signed, it will be known as Public Act 15-106. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>In its original form, this bill would have stripped the agency’s vendors who are blind of their concession businesses in state parks. The motivation for the sponsors was to divert revenue from these concessions to park maintenance.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>There are blind operators currently at Gillette Castle, Hammonasset Beach and Rocky Neck Beach State Parks. If the original bill succeeded, they would have been out of business. A number of people who are blind and advocates for them testified in opposition at the public hearing and contacted and met with legislators to oppose the bill. To the credit of these advocates, the bill was weakened as a result of these efforts and it no longer removes the rights of blind vendors at state parks. The bill as it now reads, however, may still pose a threat to these three businesses and any operators who may take their place in the future. The bill requires the DEEP, which oversees state parks, to conduct a Request for Information (RFI) to solicit any potential businesses to submit proposals to run concessions at state parks. The legislature will review these proposals and, presumably, assess whether the state would benefit from taking these concessions away from blind vendors and putting them out to general bid. Based on the results of the Request for Information proposals, the legislature may take up another bill to remove the rights of blind vendors at state parks again next session. Again, the stated aim of the legislators is to maximize potential revenue for the benefit of park maintenance.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>The bill also requires BESB vendors to report their revenue to DORS and for DORS to share that information with the DEEP. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Senate Bill 234 - An Act Requiring Health Insurance Coverage for the Purchase of Assistance Dogs.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>This bill did not pass. It was passed by the Insurance Committee. It was then referred to the Senate which in turn referred it to the Appropriations Committee. However, that Committee did not take up the bill and it died there.</span></b><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span></b><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>This bill would have required health insurance to cover the purchase of an assistance dog for persons with any disability, including blindness, which would require the use of an assistance dog. </span></b><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:#1F497D'> </span></b><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>The bill arose from the case of a teenager who suffers from a severe muscular disease and needs the help of an assistance dog. Some members of the blind community were concerned that an adopting an insurance-payment model for assistance dogs might disrupt the current charitable model and opposed the bill.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";color:black'>Please call or write me if you have any questions</span></b><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black'>.<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoPlainText><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black'>Andrew Norton<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black'>Legislative Liaison<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black'>Department of Rehabilitation Services (DORS)<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black'>(860) 602-4078<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black'><img width=180 height=60 id="_x0000_i1025" src="cid:image001.jpg@01D09FBD.6A04D000" alt="DORS logo"> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:16.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman","serif";color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p></div></body></html>