[IL-Talk] FW: Oppose Illinois HB 3986 and HB 5232 IL. Blind Vendors need help!
Robert Hansen
hansen.robert70 at gmail.com
Fri Feb 28 01:15:37 UTC 2020
I forwarded this over to the wizard radio station so hopefully it will get
read on air. I sent it to the station manager and the director of Media
services.
Robert Hansen
hansen.robert70 at gmail.com
On Thu, Feb 27, 2020, 4:12 PM Patti S Chang via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
wrote:
> 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
> <http://www.ilga.gov/legislation/billstatus.asp?DocNum=3986&GAID=15&GA=101&DocTypeID=HB&LegID=122615&SessionID=108>
>
>
> HB 5232
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