[IABS-Talk] FW: Oppose Illinois HB 3986 and HB 5232 IL. Blind Vendors need help!

[Patti S Chang]

This is urgent. Please excuse the lack of formatting. Please call your
representative to oppose these two bills. Also reach out to the originating
law maker to show our opposition. 

OPPOSITION TO HB5232 - Rep. Michael Unes (Pekin)
Amends the BLIND VENDORS ACT (2421)
OPPOSED BY:
Illinois Committee of Blind Vendors
Illinois Association of Blind Merchants
Illinois Chief Procurement Office
Illinois Department of Human Services
National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
National Federation of the Blind
National Association of Blind Merchants

.	The Illinois Blind Vendor's Act of 2010 (Public Law 2421) creates
meaningful employment opportunities for blind and deaf/blind, small
disadvantaged business to operate vending and food services on state
property.

.	70% of Blind Persons are unemployed
.	20% of our employees are persons with disabilities.
.	20% of our Blind Managers are women.
.	28% of our Blind Managers are people of color or non-native
immigrants.
.	3 managers are deaf and blind.
.	68 small mom and pop companies depend on this program in Illinois.
.	Median income for a blind manager before taxes is $47,000 (no
deduction for vehicles purchases allowed.) 
.	Blind Managers pay for their own health care and retirement, half
cannot afford any lowering our take home pay.
.	30 Managers live at or below the poverty line.

.	Our program trains newly blind persons regardless of age as many of
our managers are second career seniors who lose their sight later in life.
We also mentor blind youth at the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired
who may enter our program
.	HB5232 violates federal law: Blind persons seeking employment
through the Illinois Business Enterprise Program for the Blind which is
FEDERALLY FUNDED and is governed by the federal Randolph-Sheppard Act.
.	Federal VR110 money along with Blind Manager contributions (known as
Set Aside dollars) are governed by Federal Law and Blind Managers. The
Illinois legislature does not and cannot govern these funds.
.	Blind persons seeking employment through the Illinois Business
Enterprise Program for the Blind are ourselves women, minorities and
disabled. We proudly employ well beyond other vending companies in the areas
of minorities, women and other persons with disabilities.
.	Federal and state locations are declining in number, and personal
levels diminishing our opportunities as our program is shrinking.  Some
private owners are seeking us out at times.
.	Partnering with Blind, minority owned, small vending companies like
ours offer a measure of corporate responsibility and an equity dynamic that
is attractive to a growing number of private companies and property owners.
.	The Illinois Blind Vendors Act (Public Law 2421) in large part
mirrors the language from federal Randolph-Sheppard Vending Facilities
Program that exists to diminish the 70% unemployed rate of blind persons. No
cap on sales or earnings is allowed.
.	Small, minority owned business like ours face physical, financial
and infrastructure hardships that other larger vending companies handle much
easier. Warehouse costs, vehicles, extra staff needed to operate, product
price increases and other costs are much more difficult to absorb and
constitute a larger percent of our sales than other vending companies.
.	HB 5232 seeks to limit our opportunities to those on state property.
There is nothing in federal or state law to support this extreme restriction
on our potential income. 
.	Blind managers operate at the highest levels of products, service
and quality at our vending locations. We have won several private accounts
due to our service.
.	We are partners with the Illinois Automatic Merchandisers
Association representing small vending operators in Illinois, both blind and
not blind.

OPPOSITION TO HB3986 - Rep. Kelly Cassidy (Chicago)
Ammends the BLIND VENDORS ACT (2421)
OPPOSED BY:
Illinois Committee of Blind Vendors
Illinois Association of Blind Merchants
Illinois Chief Procurement Office
Illinois Department of Human Services
National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
National Federation of the Blind
National Association of Blind Merchants

.	The Illinois Blind Vendor's Act of 2010 (Public Law 2421) creates
meaningful employment opportunities for blind and deaf/blind, small
disadvantaged business to operate vending and food services on state
property.

.	70% of blind persons are unemployed - US Dept. of Labor
.	20% of our employees are persons with disabilities.
.	20% of our Blind Managers are women.
.	28% of our Blind Managers are people of color or non-native
immigrants.
.	3 managers are deaf and blind.
.	68 small mom and pop companies depend on this program in Illinois.
.	Median income for a blind manager before taxes is $47,000 (no
deduction for vehicles purchases allowed.) 
.	Blind Managers pay for their own health care and retirement, half
cannot afford any. 
.	30 Managers live at or below the poverty line.

.	Our program trains newly blind persons regardless of age as many of
our managers are second career seniors who lose their sight later in life.
We also mentor blind youth at the Illinois School for the Visually Impaired
who may enter our program.
.	HB3986 violates federal law: Blind persons seeking employment
through the Illinois Business Enterprise Program for the Blind is FEDERALLY
FUNDED and is governed by the federal Randolph-Sheppard Act.

.	Department of Human Services opposes HB3986 as it takes jobs from
blind, minoritie and women owned businesses. HB3986 creates ZERO new
employment opportunities.
.	The Chief Procurement Office opposes HB3986. Splitting contracts
where blind persons currently or in the future operate is a contractual
nightmare. The Blind Vendors Act is very clear on state agency
responsibility to offer DHS/BEPB vending/retail MOU's when contracts come
up.
.	Federal VR110 money would be lost to the State of Illinois every
time a blind person is displaced by an outside company.
.	The state of Illinois Department of Human Services maintains strict
standards to ensure the uniformity of equipment in prisons, training in the
operation of the machines, their maintenance and service. The Department has
statewide supervisors in place to monitor Blind Managers and has the
authority to replace the manager if the location falls below acceptable
standards. The department has ongoing training for the managers who operate
the locations to ensure are knowledge on the latest practices and trends for
products and the operation of the equipment, as well as technology entering
the industry.
.	By allowing competition, the various prisons will not be assured of
continuing quality of equipment and its timely repair or replacement. Nor
will they know if the new operator follows standard acceptable business
practices, or is knowledgeable of the newest technology, equipment, or
products in the industry.
.	Blind persons seeking employment through the Illinois Business
Enterprise Program for the Blind are ourselves women, minorities and
disabled. We proudly employ well beyond other vending companies in the areas
of minorities, women and other persons with disabilities.
.	The Illinois Blind Vendors Act (Public Law 2421) in large part
mirrors the language from federal Randolph-Sheppard Vending Facilities
Program that exists to diminish the 70% unemployed rate of blind persons.
.	Competition to the Blind Managers on federal and state property is
prohibited and enforced by DHS. The right to first refusal for vending and
retail stands are a core part of the state and federal law.
.	HB 3986 seeks to take 50% of future opportunities and split our
current facilities in half (upon a blind manager vacancy) creating a
nightmare for our program, procurement, Illinois state and federal agencies.

.	HB 3986 claims to promote competition in our facilities where we are
naturally governed by market driven forces pricing. Our products sell for
what the market bares just as with other vending companies.
.	Blind managers operate at the highest levels of products, service
and quality at our vending locations.
.	We are partners with the Illinois Automatic Merchandisers
Association representing small vending operators in Illinois, both blind and
not blind.




Patti S. Gregory-Chang Esq.
Treasurer
National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
773-307-6440
Pattischang at gmail.com

-----Original Message-----
From: Donnie Anderson <icbvanderson at icloud.com> 
Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2020 3:55 PM
To: Gregory Chang Patti <pattischang at gmail.com>; Denise Avant
<davant1958 at gmail.com>; Marilyn Green <marilynvgreen at gmail.com>
Cc: Donald Anderson <icbvanderson at icloud.com>; Bill Reif
<reiffoods at gmail.com>; Ed Birmingham <ebirm18 at wowway.com>; Nicky Gacos
<nickycolorado at netscape.net>; Terry Smith <terry at merchants-nfb.org>; John
Gordon <John.Gordon at illinois.gov>
Subject: Oppose Illinois HB 3986 and HB 5232 IL. Blind Vendors need help!


HB3986

http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=3986&GAID=15&GA=101&Do
cTypeID=HB&LegID=122615&SessionID=108


HB 5232
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