[MD-AtLarge] Urgent Legislative Alert: HB0107 - Better Bus Services Act

[Maryland President]

All,

We learned that the House Subcommittee on Motorvehicle and Transportation in
the Environment and Transportation Committee is contemplating amending our
bill to remove monitoring of bus stops and curb cuts.  Those are the very
parts of the bill that would make this a disability bill.  We need you to
call or write the members of the subcommittee right away to tell them not to
amend the bill to remove bus stops and curb cuts from monitoring.  

 

You might say something like:

Dear Delegate,

I'm writing to urge you to leave curb cuts and bus stops in the coverage of
HB0107, as vehicles that block curb cuts and bus stop prevent people who
have disabilities, including blindness, like me, from being able to safely
and independently travel in the community.  When a vehicle blocks a bus stop
that I am trying to use, I often don't know that the bus is pulling up
elsewhere, because I rely on the audio announcements to know where the bus
is and which bus it is.  If it doesn't pull up where it is supposed to pull
up, I don't know it is there and miss it.  This is also problematic for
those using wheelchairs and other mobility devices, as bus stops are built
for sufficient clearance for a mobility device and the bus ramp, whereas
other locations along the street may have obstructions.  Finally, curb cuts
are necessary for independent mobility for pedestrians with disabilities,
and they too need to remain unobstructed.

 

Please resist amending HB0107 to remove bus stops and curb cuts from the
bill.

 

Regards,

[Your name]

 

You should send an email and/or call everyone on the subcommittee.  They are
listed below, and their email addresses are firstname.last
name at house.state.md.us <mailto:name at house.state.md.us> , and their phone
numbers are 410-841-xxxx.  

Chair: Sara Love - Ext. 3454

Jackie Addison - Ext. 3551

Debra Davis - Ext. 3337

Michele Guyton - Ext. 3793

Anne Healey - Ext. 3961

Jay Jacobs - Ext. 3449

Todd Morgan - Ext. 3319

Vaughn Stewart - Ext. 3528

Natalie Ziegler - Ext. 3352

 

Please copy Annapolis at nfbmd.org <mailto:Annapolis at nfbmd.org>  if you email
and let me know if you call.

 

Thanks,

Ronza

 

 

Ronza Othman, President

National Federation of the Blind of Maryland

443-426-4110

Pronouns: she, her, hers

 

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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