[Massachusetts-NFB] FW: Disability Law Center looking for volunteers to testify on polling place accessibility issues

Thu Sep 14 21:53:03 UTC 2023

Hi All,

The below information concerns the bill and hearing KI testified at yesterday; there is time to submit written testimony following the instructions in the below message.  This bill, h701, is a companion bill to S410 – a bill that concerns making voting accessibility for others, such as those who are incarcerated.  The committee is the committee dealing with uniform ballots.

Best,

Sandy

From: Emily Almeda-Lopez <ealmedalopez at dlc-ma.org>
Sent: Friday, September 8, 2023 12:30 PM
To: SandraBurgess at msn.com
Subject: Disability Law Center looking for volunteers to testify on polling place accessibility issues

Hi Sandra,

The Disability Law Center is looking for volunteers willing to testify about the importance of polling place accessibility and on experiences with accessibility barriers when voting in person during a hearing at the State House next Wednesday, September 13th @ 1pm. Participants will have the option of testifying in person in State House room A1 and virtually through Microsoft Teams.

Volunteers will be testifying in support of H. 701 (https://malegislature.gov/Bills/193/H701) - An Act Enforcing accessibility for voters with disabilities, a standalone bill which is also part 4 of the Voting Access Act. The Act requires the Secretary of the Commonwealth to arrange inspection of all polling places and early voting sites at least once every four years, to ensure compliance with federal and state disability accessibility laws.

Please let DLC know if you are willing and able to join us in testifying at the hearing. To register to testify virtually, you must provide contact information through this form<https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSfK713r63f-_4aX-W_iFedXoXdncBjy3alDoB0AdDp4imigeg/viewform?usp=sf_link> by 4:00 PM on Monday, September 11, 2023. Individuals and groups testifying in person are also encouraged to register online. Written testimony may be submitted by Friday, September 22, 2023, to the Joint Committee on Election Laws at 24 Beacon Street, Room 445, Boston, MA 02133, or by email to colleen.bellotti at mahouse.gov<mailto:colleen.bellotti at mahouse.gov> and mark.sternman at masenate.gov<mailto:mark.sternman at masenate.gov>.

Testifying about your own experience with in-person voting accessibility issues will ensure that your voices are heard when it comes to the ongoing fight for equality at the polls for all in Massachusetts. Thanks to each of you for all of your efforts to make voting in Massachusetts accessible for all.
Thank you,

Emily Almeda-Lopez (She/Her/Hers)

Voting Rights Advocate

Disability Law Center, Inc.

Direct phone/fax/text: (617) 221-8451<tel:(617)%20221-8451>
<tel:(617)%20221-8451>

[DLC circle logo with the text 'The Protection & Advocacy Agency for People with Disabilities' around the scales of justice]<http://www.dlc-ma.org/> [Facebook logo] <https://www.facebook.com/home.php#!/pages/Disability-Law-Center-of-Massachusetts/87454558425>   [Twitter Logo] <https://twitter.com/DLCMA>  [YouTube logo] <https://www.youtube.com/user/DisabilityLawCenter>

United Way Code: M361888

Massachusetts Register to Vote Online<https://www.sec.state.ma.us/OVR/>

CONFIDENTIALITY NOTICE: The information contained in this electronic message is confidential and solely for the use of the recipient(s) and the Disability Law Center.  Its contents may be protected from disclosure by attorney-client privilege, the work-product doctrine, or federal law governing the confidentiality of information held by the Protection and Advocacy System. See, e.g., 45 C.F.R. sec. 1326.28; 42 U.S.C. 10806(a); 42 C.F.R. 51.45(a).

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