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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hi Everyone,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We urgently need your help to move SB 934, which has a House cross-file of HB 1222. This is the State Department of Education – Division of Rehabilitation Services – Funding and Staffing – bill.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Senate passed SB 934 last week, and the bill has been in House Rules since then. I am requesting that you contact House Rules and Executive Nominations and House Ways and Means Chairs and Vice Chairs to request that they work to get SB 934 referred from Rules to Ways and Means and that Ways and Means give a favorable report on the bill with enough time for the House to consider it before Monday’s session end date.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Anne Healey is the Chair of Rules and Executive Nominations and can be reached at <a href="mailto:Anne.Healey@house.state.md.us">Anne.Healey@house.state.md.us</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Marvin Holmes is the Vice Chair of Rules and Executive Nominations, and he can be reached at <a href="mailto:Marvin.Holmes@house.state.md.us">Marvin.Holmes@house.state.md.us</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Vanessa Atterbeary is the Chair of Ways and Means and can be reached at <a href="mailto:Vanessa.Atterbeary@house.state.md.us">Vanessa.Atterbeary@house.state.md.us</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Jheanelle Wilkins is the Vice Chair of Ways and Means and can be reached at <a href="mailto:Jheanelle.Wilkins@house.state.md.us">Jheanelle.Wilkins@house.state.md.us</a>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>You can say something like:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dear Delegate [name],<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I am writing as a Marylander with a disability to urge you to move forward on passing SB 934, which provides funding and staffing for the Division of Rehabilitation Services, a part of the Maryland State Department of Education. This bill provides funding for Pins to adequately staff the Division of Rehabilitation Services and to meet the funding formula required in Federal law for rehabilitation services for those with disabilities who want to work. There is a critical shortage of vocational rehabilitation staff, and their caseloads are so large that individuals with disabilities in Maryland interested in joining the workforce are being short-changed. In addition, the backlog of cases has caused a waitlist that often lasts years for clients to receive services. These are Marylanders who need these services to get transition services in high school and college, remain in the workforce, or to enter the workforce. This talent pool can fill some of the critical worker shortages if they get the vocational rehabilitation and supports they need, and they will contribute meaningfully, once employed, to our state’s economy. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please have SB 934 rereferred from the Rules Committee to the Ways and Means Committee, work to give it a favorable report in Ways and Means quickly, and support the bill on the House floor. The Senate has already passed this bill, and we ask that the House do the same this session.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please let me know if you have questions or need more information. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ronza<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Ronza Othman, </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>President</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>443-426-4110<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Pronouns: she, her, hers<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:white'>_._,_._,_<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><hr size=3 width="100%" align=center></div><p class=MsoNormal>Groups.io Links:<o:p></o:p></p><p>You receive all messages sent to this group. <o:p></o:p></p><p><a href="https://groups.io/g/eacmd/message/6586" target="_blank">View/Reply Online (#6586)</a> | <a href="mailto:eacmd@groups.io?subject=Re:%20%5Beacmd%5D%20Urgent%3A%20Need%20Your%20Help%20with%20HB%201222%2FSB934" target="_blank">Reply To Group</a> | <a href="mailto:president@nfbmd.org?subject=Private:%20Re:%20%5Beacmd%5D%20Urgent%3A%20Need%20Your%20Help%20with%20HB%201222%2FSB934" target="_blank">Reply To Sender</a> | <a href="https://groups.io/mt/98113087/6756960" target="_blank">Mute This Topic</a> | <a href="https://groups.io/g/eacmd/post">New Topic</a><br><a href="https://groups.io/g/eacmd/editsub/6756960">Your Subscription</a> | <a href="mailto:eacmd+owner@groups.io">Contact Group Owner</a> | <a href="https://groups.io/g/eacmd/leave/11091310/6756960/2049154995/xyzzy">Unsubscribe</a> [president@nfbmd.org]<o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:white'>_._,_._,_<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></body></html>