[NFBF-L] FW: 2026 NFB Letter - withdraw your State's support for Texas v. Kennedy

Thu Feb 12 22:49:31 UTC 2026

Greetings Florida: 

Last year, the State of Texas filed a lawsuit to have Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 declared unconstitutional. The case, Texas v. Kennedy, had 17 states join as plaintiffs at that time. Unfortunately, Florida was one of those 17 states. Members of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida answered our call and wrote letters and emails to James Uthmeier, Attorney General for the State of Florida. While the plaintiffs insist they have no intention of declaring the entire section unconstitutional, the original filing was not amended to target their specific purpose. At the current time, nine states remain as party to this lawsuit and Florida is one of those. 

Transparency is of the utmost importance to us. I am attaching to this email a letter that has been sent by the National Federation of the Blind of Texas, with the support of the National Federation of the Blind and it contains the signature of the affiliate Presidents of these nine states. Obviously, this includes the National Federation of the Blind of Florida. 

This email is sent for informational purposes only and no action is requested of our members. If or when this changes, we will contact you. Please feel free to read the attached letter. 

  Camille Tate, president

National Federation of the Blind of Florida 

Board of Directors 

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

Tel: 321.372.4899

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

From: Shirek, Jesse <jshirek at nfb.org> 
Sent: Thursday, February 12, 2026 10:01 AM

Subject: 2026 NFB Letter - withdraw your State's support for Texas v. Kennedy

Greetings,

Pasted below and attached is a joint letter from Norma Crosby, President, National Federation of the Blind of Texas, Kevin Whitley, President, National Federation of the Blind of Alaska, Camille Tate, President, National Federation of the Blind of Florida, R. Diane Graves, President, National Federation of the Blind of Indiana, Tom Page, President, National Federation of the Blind of Kansas, Pam Allen, President, National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana, Shelia Wright, President, National Federation of the Blind of Missouri, James P. Marks, President,National Federation of the Blind of Montana, Ismael Collazo, President, National Federation of the Blind of South Dakota, to the Attorneys General representing Texas, Alaska, Indiana, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, and South Dakota regarding their participation as plaintiffs in the Texas v. Kennedy lawsuit. 

Sincerely,

Jesse Shirek

Director of Advocacy, National Federation of the Blind

February 12, 2026

Dear Attorneys General Paxton, Cox, Uthmeier, Rokita, Kobach, Murrill, Hanaway, Knudsen, and Jackley:

The National Federation of the Blind, the transformative membership and advocacy organization of blind Americans, urges Attorneys General throughout the United States  to acknowledge the full importance of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (“Section 504”) and Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S. 581 (1999) (“Olmstead”) by immediately withdrawing their support for Texas v. Kennedy and its attacks on the integration mandate in the United States.

On January 23, 2026, the nine remaining plaintiffs in Texas v. Kennedy filed to overturn the Olmstead decision’s community integration mandate, thereby laying the groundwork for the forced institutionalization of disabled people nationwide. Specifically, the January 23 filing again seeks to declare the entire Section 504 rule as illegal, stop the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS) from enforcing the rule, and stop HHS from instructing states not to take actions which place people with disabilities at “serious risk” of institutionalization. The National Federation of the Blind unequivocally condemns this action and is inherently opposed to the forced institutionalization of people with disabilities or any action which may lead to forced institutionalization.

As the National Federation of the Blind indicated in our letter from February 2025, “The United States has long recognized a disabled person’s value as a student, employee, and a member of the public.” Overturning Olmstead would mean that rather than receiving services in our homes, neighborhood schools, and local communities, we would be forced out of public life entirely and into institutions which neither value nor serve us. Such a move could neither be interpreted as equitable nor as equal treatment under the law. Americans with disabilities are not inferior to our non-disabled peers and we will not be hidden away.

The ultimate goal of the National Federation of the Blind is complete integration of the blind into society. Throughout the course of our eighty-five-year history, the Federation has worked diligently and tirelessly to combat discrimination based on misconceptions and low expectations. We believe that disabled Americans have the right to receive the education, training, and opportunity required to lead productive lives, and we do not believe that law-abiding people with disabilities who are simply trying to live the lives we want should be forced into any facility against our will. Such a move would not only be legally wrong, but also morally reprehensible.

We urge you to immediately withdraw your support for Texas v. Kennedy and the dismantling of Olmstead, including its community integration mandate and Section 504. 

Sincerely, 

Norma Crosby, President

National Federation of the Blind of Texas

Kevin Whitley, President

National Federation of the Blind of Alaska

Camille Tate, President

National Federation of the Blind of Florida

R. Diane Graves, President

National Federation of the Blind of Indiana

Tom Page, President

National Federation of the Blind of Kansas

Pam Allen, President

National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana

Shelia Wright, President

National Federation of the Blind of Missouri

James P. Marks, President

National Federation of the Blind of Montana

Ismael Collazo, President

National Federation of the Blind of South Dakota

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