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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Dear Federation Family,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>After twenty years this Act is finally being fulfilled. I remember working on this with Beth Rival, Betty and Bruce Woodward, Joyce Kane, and many others from the beginning. It is very satisfying to see the law finally come to fruition. This is why we go to Washington Seminar. It may take years for the Acts we introduce to become law, but in the end it is worth it.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:22.5pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:7.5pt;margin-left:0in;background:white'><span style='font-size:25.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:green'>Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act Takes Effect After Twenty Years of Effort<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:15.0pt;background:white'><span style='font-size:13.5pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:black'>Blind pedestrians travel safely every day relying on sound cues. When electric and hybrid cars first emerged, the National Federation of the Blind recognized that truly quiet vehicles posed a danger to all pedestrians and bike riders, and that the lack of sound posed a special danger to blind people. Twenty years ago we began work on the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act which was signed into law by President Obama. The law gave manufacturers time to comply and regulations were promulgated with input from stakeholders. Finally, all hybrid and electric vehicles manufactured on or after March 1, 2021 must emit a safe level of sound while stationary, in reverse, and moving up to thirty kilometers per hour thanks to the collective efforts of the National Federation of the Blind.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Best Regards,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Maryanne Melley<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>National Federation of the Blind of Connecticut<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>860-212-5549<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>maryanne.melley@gmail.com<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>“Live the Life You Want; Blindness is Not What Holds You Back”<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>