[NFBF-L] FW: Legislative Alert: Action Required

Thu Feb 13 23:41:49 UTC 2025

Greetings Florida: 

Many of you have received the below email, which advises of an attack on
Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. We are crafting a template
email that you can use to contact the Office of the Attorney General in
Florida. We are, of course, in opposition to this attempt to deem Section
504 as unconstitutional. 

  Camille Tate, president

National Federation of the Blind of Florida 

Board of Directors 

www.nfbflorida.org <http://www.nfbflorida.org/> 

Tel: 321.372.4899

With love, hope and determination, we transform dreams into reality.

From: camille.tate320 at gmail.com <camille.tate320 at gmail.com> 
Sent: Thursday, February 13, 2025 6:38 PM
To: president at nfbflorida.org
Subject: FW: Legislative Alert: Action Required

Together,

Camille Tate, Treasurer 

Mmelbourne Space Coast Chapter 

National Federation of the Blind of Florida 

E:  <mailto:camille.tate320 at gmail.com> camille.tate320 at gmail.com

C: 321372 4899

From: National Federation of the Blind <webmaster at nfb.org
<mailto:webmaster at nfb.org> > 
Sent: Thursday, February 13, 2025 5:03 PM
To: Camille Tate <camille.tate320 at gmail.com
<mailto:camille.tate320 at gmail.com> >
Subject: Legislative Alert: Action Required

  <https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/top-blue-bar.jpg> 

 <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=37549&qid=10953684> 

Immediate Action Required Regarding Section 504

Dear Federation Members,

A number of you have asked about the below matter. The National Federation
of the Blind is deeply concerned about the Texas v. Becerra case that has
been brought by seventeen states' attorney generals. These seventeen states
(Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Florida, Georgia, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas,
Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas,
Utah, and West Virginia) have sued the federal government regarding updated
rules which add "gender dysphoria" to the federal definition of "disability"
under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Americans with
Disabilities Act. 

As a result, these states have charged that this addition to the regulations
renders Section 504 unconstitutional. As a reminder, Section 504 requires
that entities which receive federal funding, like schools and hospitals,
cannot discriminate on the basis of disability. 

Fortunately, we are not alone in our concerns. Other organizations, such as
the National Disability Rights Network, the National Council on Independent
Living, the American Association of People with Disabilities, the Disability
Rights Education and Defense Fund, and many, many more have also voiced
their displeasure with this lawsuit. 

You can help in this cause! If you live in one of the states listed above,
you can contact your state's attorney general and/or the Governor and ask
that the state drop the lawsuit. Be sure to tell them who you are and why
Section 504 is important to you so they can fully understand the gravity of
the situation. Remind them that Section 504 protects blind and other
disabled people from discrimination by entities that receive federal funds.
We are carefully monitoring this situation and will keep everyone advised of
any new developments. 

Sincerely,
Mark A. Riccobono, President

 <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=37550&qid=10953684> 

 <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=37551&qid=10953684> 

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 <https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=37553&qid=10953684> 

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National Federation of the Blind | 200 E Wells Street | Baltimore, MD 21230
| 410-659-9314 

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United States

.. 

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