[Mn-at-large] Legislative Update

[David Andrews]

>
>From: Jennifer Dunnam via NFBMN-News <nfbmn-news at nfbnet.org>
>
>Dear Minnesota Federationists: → At last count 
>We are up to twenty-two cosponsors on AIM HIGH, 
>H.R. 1772 (including Representative Rick Nolan 
>of Minnesota), five cosponsors on the Access 
>Technology Affordability Act, H.R. 1734, and 
>eight cosponsors on the TIME Act, H.R. 1377. In 
>the Senate, the Access Technology Affordability 
>Act, S. 732, has one cosponsor. Please Ask your 
>representative to cosponsor H.R. 1772, H.R. 
>1734, and H.R. 1377. Please also call senators 
>Franken and Klobuchar and ask them to cosponsor 
>S. 732. Accessible Instructional Material in 
>Higher Education Act, H.R. 1772 (AIM HIGH) This 
>bill will promote instructional technology and 
>content that are accessible to the blind and 
>other students with print disabilities. Access 
>Technology Affordability Act of 2017, H.R. 1734 
>and S. 732 (ATAA) These bills will facilitate 
>the purchase of access technology for blind 
>people by creating a refundable, per person tax 
>credit. Transitioning to Integrated and 
>Meaningful Employment Act of 2017, H.R. 1377 
>(TIME) This bill will increase employment 
>opportunities by removing stigmas and low 
>expectations propagated by section 14(c) of the 
>Fair Labor Standards Act. Note that the bill now 
>phases out subminimum wages over a six year 
>period corresponding to the recommendation of 
>the National Council on Disability. → Many of 
>you will recall that some years ago, we 
>conducted a monthly Saturday school for young 
>blind children to help them learn about things 
>they may not have time to get during the school 
>day and also to get exposure to well-adjusted 
>blind adults. We are happy to report that after 
>a hiatus, Saturday school is coming back, and it 
>will start up in September. More details will be 
>with you soon. ☑ Congratulations to all 
>Federationists who recently graduated from high 
>school or a college program! These include 
>Muzamil Ibrahim, Aly Kroutbauer, Catherine 
>Jacobson, Roland Wenzel, and more. As always, if 
>you have items for these updates, please send 
>them along! To-Do List (AKA Things You Can Do To 
>Help) ☐ Read the June issue of the Braille 
>Monitor, our monthly national flagship 
>publication: 
>https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/bm/bm17/bm1706/bm1706tc.htm 
>☐ Also check out the latest issue of Future 
>Reflections. This is our quarterly magazine for 
>parents of blind children or anyone working with 
>or advocating for blind children: 
>https://nfb.org/images/nfb/publications/fr/fr36/2/fr3602tc.htm 
>☐ Call your Congressman or Congresswoman and 
>ask him or her to cosponsor these three bills: 
>the AIM HIGH Act (H.R. 1772), the Access 
>Technology Affordability Act (H.R. 1734), and 
>the TIME Act (H.R. 1377). Please also call 
>senators Franken and Klobuchar and ask them to 
>cosponsor S. 732. If you aren't sure who your 
>representative is, find the name and contact 
>information by entering your zip code at 
>http://www.house.gov/representatives/find/. If 
>you'd prefer, the number to the Capitol 
>Switchboard is 202-224-3121; from there, the 
>operator can transfer you. ☐ If you use a 
>guide dog, give feedback on your experiences 
>using Uber and Lyft, and encourage anyone you 
>know who uses a guide dog or other service 
>animal to do the same: https://nfb.org/rideshare 
>Important Dates Coming Up Soon: • Monday July 
>10-Saturday July 15: 2017 NFB National 
>Convention in Orlando (Agenda now available) 
>https://nfb.org/convention • Thursday, August 3: 
>Meeting of State Rehabbilitation Council for the 
>Blind 
>http://mn.gov/deed/job-seekers/blind-visual-impaired/council/ 
>• Saturday, Augustt 26: Next board meeting of 
>NFB of Minnesota in Metro area • Saturday, 
>September 9th: NFB of Minnesota Walk for 
>OOpportunity in Rochester—more details soon The 
>Nationall Federation of the Blind 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 
>http://www.nfbmn.org Twitter: 
>http://www.twitter.com/nfbmn YouTube channel: 
>http://www.youtube.com/nationsblind 
>_______________________________________________ 
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