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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'>Lucia sent me the Substitute Bill 397 this morning, and this was all the information available right now. </span><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>“The Appropriations Committee has indeed changed the bill and passed the substituted version. It has gone through the Legislative Commissioners Office and was given a Senate calendar number today. It’s not even on their calendar yet. I’ve attached the substituted version. Everything in the bill is as current state statutes except for the last sentence which is underlined. That is new. There are no reports from the LCO online yet, but I suspect that there is no fiscal impact. I’m thinking that the Senate will refer this to another committee (the one that concerns itself with the state library – not sure which one that might be, but I suspect it’s the Education Committee) before it actually considers putting it up for a Senate vote. Since the bill is on the Senate calendar for now, there’s not a lot to do except let your state senator know how you feel about 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><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>I would suggest calling your local Senator rather than emailing because the session closes on May fourth. Thank you for all your help in trying to stop this Bill from passing.<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'><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'>Together with love, hope, and determination, we transform dreams into reality<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>