[MD-AtLarge] Legislative Alert - Action Needed

[president at nfbmd.org]

Fellow Federationists:

This message combines the content of four separate messages that Sharon
Maneki, NFBMD's Director of Legislation and Advocacy sent out in the last
few weeks.  

 

We are encouraging you to send letters to members of the Maryland Assembly
to support legislation concerning voting and regulating Dockless scooters.
Please see information about the relevant bills below.  Please write to the
relevant Committee Chair and to the Senators and Delegates that cover your
District/area, but please be sure to reference the specific bill in your
messages (SB refers to Senate Bill and HB refers to House Bill).  The email
address for all senators is firstname.lastname at senate.state.md.us
<mailto:firstname.lastname at senate.state.md.us>  and for all delegates is
firstname.lastname at house.state.md.us
<mailto:firstname.lastname at house.state.md.us> . If you are mailing a letter
to a senator, the address is [Room Number and Building Name], 11 Bladen
street, Annapolis, MD, 21401. If you are mailing a letter to a delegate, the
address is [Room number], Lowe House Office Building, Annapolis, Maryland,
21041. If writing a hard copy letter, please include the building name and
room number for senators and room number for delegates referenced below for
your District/area.

 

Voting:

SB 363 and HB 565 are companion bills that require the State Board of
Elections to create 1 voting system for all voters, starting with the
primary election in 2022. This bill will restore the secret ballot to
disabled voters because it will require everyone to use an electronic ballot
marking device. 

 

For SB 363: 

-          everyone regardless of district/area may write to Senator Paul
Pinsky, Chairman of The Education, Health, and Environmental Affairs
Committee, Miller Senate Office Building, room 2W.

-          If you live in Anne Arundel County, write to Senator Bryan
Simonaire, 320 James Office Building.

-          If you live in Baltimore City, write to Senator Shirley
Nathan-Pulliam, note her email is Shirley.nathan.pulliam at senate.state.md.us
<mailto:Shirley.nathan.pulliam at senate.state.md.us> . 2W Miller Senate Office
Building.

-          If you live in Baltimore County, write to Senators Shirley
Nathan-Pulliam, note her email is Shirley.nathan.pulliam at senate.state.md.us
<mailto:Shirley.nathan.pulliam at senate.state.md.us> . 2W Miller Senate Office
Building; and Clarence Lam, thank him for sponsoring the bill, 420 Miller
Senate Office Building.

-          If you live in Charles County, write to Senator Arthur Ellis, 302
James Office Building.

-          If you live in Fredrick County, write to Senator Ronald Young,
301 James Office Building.

-          If you live in Howard County, write to Senator Clarence Lam,
thank him for sponsoring the bill, 420 Miller Senate Office Building.

-          If you live in Montgomery County, write to Senator Cheryl Kagan,
203 James Office Building.

-          If you live in Prince George's County, write to Senator Obie
Patterson, 201 James Office Building.

-          If you live in Saint Mary's County, write to Senator Jack Bailey,
402 James Office Building.

 

For HB 565:

-          everyone regardless of district/area may write to Delegate Anne
Kaiser (room 131), Chairman of the House, Ways, and Means committee. 

-          If you live in Anne Arundel County, write to Delegate Alice Cain,
room 151.

-          If you live in Allegany County, write to Delegate Jason Buckel,
room 309.

-          If you live in Baltimore City, write to Delegate Nick Mosby and
thank him for sponsoring the bill, room 205; and also write to Delegate
Stephanie Smith room 316.

-          If you live in Baltimore County, write to Delegates Joseph
Boteler, room 319; Eric Ebersole, room 305; Jessica Feldmark, room 216;
Michele Guyton, room 306; and Robert Long, room 325.

-          If you live in Carrol County, write to Delegates April Rose, room
320; and Haven Shoemaker, room 320.

-          If you live in Charles County, write to Delegate Edith Patterson,
room 429.

-          If you live in Howard County, write to Delegates Eric Ebersole,
room 305; and Jessica Feldmark, room 216.

-          If you live in Montgomery County, write to Delegates Eric
Luedtke, room 350; Julie Palakovichcarr, room 221; and Jheanelle Wilkins,
room 225.

-          If you live in Prince George's County, write to Delegates Darryl
Barnes, room 363; Julian Ivey, room 217; Alonzo Washington, room 405; and
Jay Walker, room 131. 

 

Scooters:

SB 805 and HB 1243 are companion bills that require ridesharing companies
who rent out e-scooters to provide tactile identification for blind persons
on each scooter.  The bill also requires companies to create and maintain
accessible websites and apps.  The blind should have the same information
that the rest of the public has and should be able to communicate with the
appropriate company.  These scooters are dockless and operators leave them
anywhere, frequently blocking building entrances, bus stops, sidewalks, etc.
- For SB 805: 

-          everyone regardless of district/area may write to Senator Delores
Kelley, Chairman, Finance Committee, Room 3E Miller.

-          If you live in Anne Arundel County, write to senators Pamela
Beidle, Room 202 James; and Edward Reilly, Room 316 James.

-          If you live in Baltimore City, write to senator Antonio Hayes,
Room 222 James.

-          If you live in Baltimore County, write to senators J.B. Jennings,
Room 423 James (Note:  His email address is jb.jennings at senate.state.md.us
<mailto:jb.jennings at senate.state.md.us> ); and Katherine Klausmeier, Room
123 James 

-          If you live in Montgomery County, write to senators Brian
Feldman, Room 104 James; and Ben Kramer, Room 401 Miller. 

-          If you live in Prince George's County, write to senators Malcolm
Augustine, Room 3E Miller; and Joanne Benson, Room 214 James.

 

For HB 1243:

-          everyone regardless of district/area may write to Delegate Kumar
Barve, Chairman, Environment and Transportation Committee, Room 251.

-          If you live in Anne Arundel County, write to Delegate Mary
Lehman, Room 317.

-          If you live in Baltimore City, write to Delegates Dalya Attar,
room 317  (Thank her for sponsoring the bill); Regina Boyce, Room 316; Tony
Bridges, Room 315; and Melissa Wells, Room 315.

-          If you live in Baltimore County, write to Delegates Jay Jalisi,
Room 412; Stephen Lafferty, Room 303; and Dana Stein, Room 251. 

-          If you live in Montgomery County, write to Delegates David
Fraser-Hidalgo, Room 223  Note:  His email address is
david.fraser.hidalgo at house.state.md.us
<mailto:david.fraser.hidalgo at house.state.md.us> ; Jim Gilchrist, Room 219;
Sara Love, Room 210; and Vaughn Stewart, Room 220.

-          If you live in Prince George's County, write to Delegates Andrea
Fletcher Harrison, Room 204  Note:  Her email address is
andreafletcher.harrison at house.state.md.us
<mailto:andreafletcher.harrison at house.state.md.us> ; Anne Healey, Room 361;
Marvin Holmes, Room 364; and Mary Lehman, Room 317.

 

Thank you for all of your hard work on these issues.

Yours,

Ronza

 

Ronza Othman, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

443-426-4110

 

The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not
the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.

 

 

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