[IL-Talk] FW: Oppose Illinois HB 3986 and HB 5232 IL. Blind Vendors need help!
Mary lou Grunwald
marylougrunwald at gmail.com
Fri Feb 28 15:15:23 UTC 2020
Thanks so much, we need those calls desperately! Especially if you are in representative Cassidy‘s district. But all of them are extremely important and our time sensitive. Cassidy is the sponsor of HB3986.
Sent from my iPad
> On 28 Feb 2020, at 5:07 AM, Denise Avant via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
>
> I will call my state rep today. Let's help blind vendors by urging defeat of
> these pieces of legislation.
> Thanks for all you all do.
>
>
> Denise R. Avant, Esq.
> President,
> National Federation of the Blind of Illinois
> 773-991-8050
> Live the life you want.
>
> For more information about NFBI,
> Go to www.nfbofillinois.org
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: IL-Talk <il-talk-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of Patti S Chang via
> IL-Talk
> Sent: Thursday, February 27, 2020 4:11 PM
> To: 'NFB of Illinois Mailing List' <il-talk at nfbnet.org>;
> iabs-talk at nfbnet.org
> Cc: Patti S Chang <pattischang at gmail.com>
> Subject: [IL-Talk] FW: Oppose Illinois HB 3986 and HB 5232 IL. Blind Vendors
> need help!
>
> 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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