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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Below is information that comes from President Riccobono’s Notebook to all affiliate president.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-autospace:none'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>Critical Actions This Week:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;text-autospace:none'>Spread the Word:<br><span style='color:black'>The NFB is in litigation with the Department of Education Office for Civil Rights regarding its March 2018 amended <i>Case Processing Manual</i>, which mandated dismissal of new complaints by anyone who had filed a complaint in the past (even against a different entity or a different issue) and eliminat</span>ed<span style='color:black'> the right to appeal a dismissal. In November 2018, the department amended the <i>Case Processing Manual</i> again to stop dismissing complaints on that basis and reinstated the appeal right. The department also stated that it would reopen the complaints previously dismissed as “directed investigations,” rather than complaint investigations. The NFB is seeking information-by September 4-about members’ experiences with Department of Education complaints since March 2018. Please </span>contact Valerie Yingling at <u><span style='color:blue'>vyingling@nfb.org <mailto:vyingling@nfb.org></span></u> or 410-659-9314, extension 2440, if:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:Symbol;color:black'>· </span><span style='color:black'>you had any complaint dismissed because you filed a complaint previously or because you filed against multiple entities,</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:Symbol;color:black'>· </span><span style='color:black'>you had any complaint reopened as a “directed investigation,” or</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.75in;text-indent:-.25in;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-family:Symbol;color:black'>· </span><span style='color:black'>you had an appeal dismissed </span>or were instructed that you were not allowed to appeal.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:5.0pt;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:5.0pt;margin-left:0in;text-autospace:none'><b><span style='font-size:18.0pt'>News:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;text-autospace:none'>Self-driving Car Bill:<br>Recently, the House Committee on Energy and Commerce and the Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation agreed to work together on a bipartisan and bicameral basis to develop a self-driving car bill. As part of that process, the committees sought feedback in a variety of categories, one of which was disability access. Of course, the National Federation of the Blind was one of the disability advocacy groups they contacted to submit feedback in this area. Our <u><span style='color:blue'>submitted comments <https://www.nfb.org/sites/www.nfb.org/files/files-pdf/av-comments-8-22-19.pdf></span></u>, along with our official statements on a wide range of legislative topics, are posted on the NFB website in the Policy Statements section of the Advocacy page. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;text-autospace:none'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;text-autospace:none'>Become a Beta Tester for NFB-NEWSLINE® Mobile 3.0:<br>By now you may have heard that the NFB-NEWSLINE mobile app is getting an upgrade. An important part of the app development process is user feedback and that’s where you come in! If you are interested in getting a sneak peak of the new features that will be available and being a beta tester, then join us on Thursday, August 29, 2019, at 8:00 p.m. eastern (7:00 p.m. central, 6:00 p.m. mountain, 5:00 p.m. Pacific) to learn more. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;text-autospace:none'>To participate in the training, please use one of the options listed below.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;text-autospace:none'>Join Zoom Webinar on your computer or mobile device by following this link: <u><span style='color:blue'><https://zoom.us/j/506774545></span></u><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;text-autospace:none'>Or join by phone: 646-876-9923; webinar ID: 506774545<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.25in;text-autospace:none'>Los Angeles Community College District Ruling:<br>In a case filed by the National Federation of the Blind; the National Federation of the Blind of California; and two blind students, Roy Payan and Portia Mason, the Federal District Court for the Central District of California Found that Los Angeles Community College District (LACCD) violated the students’ rights under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 by failing to provide them with accessible documents and course materials, failing to provide equal access to library resources, procuring and using inaccessible educational technology, and maintaining an inaccessible website, among other things. More information can be found in the <u><span style='color:blue'>NFB press release <https://nfb.org/about-us/press-room/federal-court-rules-favor-blind-students></span></u>. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'>Indiana Lawsuit:<br>The National Federation of the Blind was joined by Christopher and Sarah Meyer, blind siblings, in a suit filed against the Indiana Family and Social Services Administration (FSSA) and its Division of Family Resources (DFR), claiming communications sent out by the organization and their contractors were inaccessible, forcing the Meyers to not only rely on other people to intercept and read their private information, but causing them to lose their benefits. Please see Press Release from the homepage at:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><a href="https://www.nfb.org/">https://www.nfb.org/</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"APHont",sans-serif'>Milton Ota, President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"APHont",sans-serif'>National Federation of the Blind of North Dakota<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"APHont",sans-serif'>Web: https://nfbnd.org/<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"APHont",sans-serif'>4273 Coventry Dr., S., Unit E<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"APHont",sans-serif'>Fargo, ND 58104-4498<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"APHont",sans-serif'>(701) 731-0511 (Cell)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"APHont",sans-serif'>mota1252@gmail.com (E-mail)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"APHont",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"APHont",sans-serif'>THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND KNOWS THAT BLINDNESS<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"APHont",sans-serif'>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.<span style='color:#333333'> </span>THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND IS NOT AN ORGANIZATION SPEAKING FOR THE BLIND-IT IS THE BLIND SPEAKING FOR OURSELVES.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"APHont",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"APHont",sans-serif'>* * *<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"APHont",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>NFB Pledge<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'>I pledge to participate actively in the efforts of the National Federation of the Blind to achieve equality, opportunity, and security for the blind; to support the policies and programs of the Federation; and to abide by its constitution.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"APHont",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>