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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hello all,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We need as many people as possible to go to Annapolis on Wednesday, February 18 to attend a hearing in the Health, Government and Operations Committee in the Lowe House Office Building at 1pm. We must demonstrate our opposition to HB349. This bill places the jobs of many of our colleagues who work at BISM in jeopardy because it will restrict BISM’s ability to sell janitorial chemicals to the State of Maryland. We already have a seventy percent rate of unemployment and under employment among working-age blind persons. We do not need a bill that will add to this terrible statistic. Blind people need more employment opportunities not less.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please send me a note off-list to tell me if you can attend. Your chapter will let you know about transportation once we know who can come. Let’s make sure that this committee knows that blind people will not allow their livelihood to be diminished.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thank you,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Sharon Maneki, </b>President<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>410-715-9596<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>