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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Greetings Florida: <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>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. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'> Camille Tate, president<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'>National Federation of the Blind of Florida <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'>Board of Directors <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'><a href="http://www.nfbflorida.org/">www.nfbflorida.org</a><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'>Tel: 321.372.4899<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:standardcontextual'>With love, hope and determination, we transform dreams into reality.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> camille.tate320@gmail.com <camille.tate320@gmail.com> <br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, February 13, 2025 6:38 PM<br><b>To:</b> president@nfbflorida.org<br><b>Subject:</b> FW: Legislative Alert: Action Required<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'>Together,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'>Camille Tate, Treasurer <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'>Mmelbourne Space Coast Chapter <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'>National Federation of the Blind of Florida <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=PT-BR style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'>E: </span><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><a href="mailto:camille.tate320@gmail.com"><span lang=PT-BR>camille.tate320@gmail.com</span></a></span><span lang=PT-BR style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=PT-BR style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Arial Black",sans-serif'>C: 321372 4899<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span lang=PT-BR><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif'> National Federation of the Blind <<a href="mailto:webmaster@nfb.org">webmaster@nfb.org</a>> <br><b>Sent:</b> Thursday, February 13, 2025 5:03 PM<br><b>To:</b> Camille Tate <<a href="mailto:camille.tate320@gmail.com">camille.tate320@gmail.com</a>><br><b>Subject:</b> Legislative Alert: Action Required<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:15.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></td></tr><tr><td valign=top style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 style='width:6.25in'><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:7.5pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:#0075C9;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:7.5pt'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><img border=0 width=600 height=28 style='width:6.25in;height:.2916in' id="_x0000_i1034" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/top-blue-bar.jpg"><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width="100%" style='width:100.0%'><tr style='height:7.5pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:7.5pt'><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0><tr><td style='padding:12.0pt 12.0pt 12.0pt 12.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=37549&qid=10953684"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=240 height=264 style='width:2.5in;height:2.75in' id="_x0000_i1033" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/nfb-logo-for-email-template.jpg" alt="National Federation of the Blind logo and tagline live the life you want"></span></a><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr><td style='background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;border-color:initial'><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 align=left width=600 style='width:6.25in'><tr style='height:15.0pt'><td width="100%" valign=top style='width:100.0%;background:white;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:15.0pt'><h1><span style='font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>Immediate Action Required Regarding Section 504</span><o:p></o:p></h1><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>Dear Federation Members,</span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>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. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>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. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>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. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>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. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p><span style='font-size:14.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black'>Sincerely,<br>Mark A. Riccobono, President</span><o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></td></tr><tr style='height:6.0pt'><td style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:6.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></td></tr></table></div></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;display:none'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div align=center><table class=MsoNormalTable border=0 cellspacing=0 cellpadding=0 width=600 style='width:6.25in;background:#002F6D'><tr style='height:45.0pt'><td width=135 style='width:101.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'></td><td width=55 style='width:41.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:white'><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=37550&qid=10953684"><span style='text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=50 height=35 style='width:.525in;height:.3666in' id="_x0000_i1032" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-facebook-ms.png" alt="Facebook Logo"></span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=55 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style='width:.525in;height:.3666in' id="_x0000_i1027" src="https://nfb.org/images/nfb/images/images/iof-donte-ms.png" alt="Donate to the NFB Icon."></span></a></span><o:p></o:p></p></td><td width=135 style='width:101.25pt;padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:45.0pt'></td></tr><tr style='height:18.75pt'><td colspan=8 style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:18.75pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white'>National Federation of the Blind | 200 E Wells Street | Baltimore, MD 21230 | 410-659-9314 <o:p></o:p></span></b></p></td></tr><tr style='height:18.75pt'><td colspan=8 style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in;height:18.75pt'><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white'><a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/unsubscribe?reset=1&jid=24488&qid=10953684&h=440b538a3e5b5f71" title=Unsubscribe><span style='color:white'>Unsubscribe from this mailing list</span></a> | <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/optout?reset=1&jid=24488&qid=10953684&h=440b538a3e5b5f71" title="Opt Out"><span style='color:white'>Opt out of all mailing lists</span></a> | <a href="https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/url?u=37556&qid=10953684" title="Sign up for email newsletter"><span style='color:white'>Sign up for our newsletter</span></a> <o:p></o:p></span></b></p></td></tr><tr><td colspan=8 style='padding:0in 0in 0in 0in'><div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span class=street-address><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white'>200 East Wells Street at Jernigan Place</span></b></span><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white'><br><span class=locality>Baltimore</span><span class=adr>, </span><span class=region>MD</span><span class=adr> </span><span class=postal-code>21230</span><br><span class=country-name>United States</span><o:p></o:p></span></b></p></div><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:white'>.. <o:p></o:p></span></b></p></td></tr></table></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAJEAAP///wAAAAAAAAAAACH5BAkAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAgEAAEEBAA7" width="1" height="1" alt="Web Bug from https://nfb.org/civicrm/mailing/open?qid=10953684" /></span><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><img src="data:image/gif;base64,R0lGODlhAQABAJEAAP///wAAAAAAAAAAACH5BAkAAAAALAAAAAABAAEAAAgEAAEEBAA7" width="1" height="1" alt="Web Bug from https://u32452178.ct.sendgrid.net/wf/open?upn=u001.-2F-2FP-2FCrZV7rZmga9tUFSnw79PzwtUaJLMnrIvtkVvGsVJx1AG9Cb1tqxboPw5jN2K9Sefn0-2FB-2FjCJmWjlNd2yPilJ5dVgVBfHCPkMWEU9XthsEK5sDwXiF6c3qLmL3pqMUunmJpDXLvEvZp2c-2BC66dJl5vGDbsWuM09Q4npFvmSrh732UHmGI5qrMSfktZLP3emyGMX-2FoUr2Hd5Kb4KdrwFf3dWMcmhkfwYdhW-2BZGHG4-3D" /></span><span 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