<html><head><meta http-equiv="content-type" content="text/html; charset=utf-8"></head><body style="overflow-wrap: break-word; -webkit-nbsp-mode: space; line-break: after-white-space;">Thank you, Camille.<div><br></div><div>If anyone would like to email your request, try this email address: <a href="mailto:citizenservices@myfloridalegal.com">citizenservices@myfloridalegal.com</a></div><div><br></div><div>I hope we make an impact.</div><div><br></div><div>Nancy Epps</div><div>Board Member #2, National Federation of the Blind of Florida<br>Treasurer and Membership Chair, Greater Daytona Beach Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida <br><div>“Blindness is not the characteristic that defines you</div></div><div><br></div><div><br id="lineBreakAtBeginningOfMessage"><div><br><blockquote type="cite"><div>On Feb 21, 2025, at 7:31 PM, president--- via NFBF-Leaders <nfbf-leaders@nfbnet.org> wrote:</div><br class="Apple-interchange-newline"><div><meta charset="UTF-8"><div class="WordSection1" style="page: WordSection1; caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;">Greetings Federationists:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;">We have a response to the recent release of information regarding Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973. This is one of our strongest protections against discrimination from any entity that receives federal funds. This includes schools, hospitals and other institutions we use regularly. A lawsuit was filed in Texas, with 17 other states signing on. Florida, unfortunately, is one of those states. We ask that you contact the Office of the Attorney General, Florida James Uthmeier. You may also contact the Office of Governor Ron Desantis. For convenience, there is a template below that you may use. Please insert your name, location and any titles you may hold in the National Federation of the Blind in the indicated spaces. Your participation may have a positive impact; several states have since withdrawn their participation in this lawsuit because of the outpouring of dissent within their states.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;">Dear Attorney General James Uthmeier:<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;">My name is [insert name]. I live in [insert city], Florida and am a member of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida. I am writing to ask you to support blind Floridians by withdrawing from the Texas vs. Besserra lawsuit, which aims to declare Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 unconstitutional. This section of the law protects me and other disabled people from discrimination due to disability from any entity that received federal funds. This includes schools and hospitals. Without the protection of Section 504, all strides in educational and employment for blind people will be jeopardized. I strongly urge Florida to withdraw from this lawsuit, which will have a negative, detrimental and demoralizing effect on blind Floridians.<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;">Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;">[insert name]<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;">[insert titles in the NFB, if any]<span class="Apple-converted-space"> </span><o:p></o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> Camille Tate, president<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">National Federation of the Blind of Florida <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Board of Directors <o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><a href="http://www.nfbflorida.org/"><span style="color: blue;">www.nfbflorida.org</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">Tel: 321.372.4899<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;"><o:p> </o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 11pt;">With love, hope and determination, we transform dreams into reality.<o:p></o:p></span></div><div style="margin: 0in; font-size: 12pt; font-family: Aptos, sans-serif;"><o:p> </o:p></div></div><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; float: none; display: inline !important;">_______________________________________________</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><span style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none; float: none; display: inline !important;">NFBF-Leaders mailing list</span><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px; text-decoration: none;"><a href="mailto:NFBF-Leaders@nfbnet.org" style="font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; font-weight: 400; letter-spacing: normal; orphans: auto; text-align: start; text-indent: 0px; text-transform: none; white-space: normal; widows: auto; word-spacing: 0px; -webkit-text-stroke-width: 0px;">NFBF-Leaders@nfbnet.org</a><br style="caret-color: rgb(0, 0, 0); font-family: ArialMT; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-variant-caps: normal; 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