<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><META HTTP-EQUIV="Content-Type" CONTENT="text/html; charset=us-ascii"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
margin-bottom:.0001pt;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#0563C1;
text-decoration:underline;}
a:visited, span.MsoHyperlinkFollowed
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:#954F72;
text-decoration:underline;}
p.msonormal0, li.msonormal0, div.msonormal0
{mso-style-name:msonormal;
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
span.EmailStyle18
{mso-style-type:personal;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
span.EmailStyle19
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Federation Family,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Here is an update on the status of our Property Tax for Blind Home Owners bill, which would increase the tax exemption from $15,000 to $40,000 annually for blind home owners and their spouses.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>SB0911 passed out of the Senate on March 14, 2025. It then crossed over to the House, and it is scheduled for sponsor only hearing this Tuesday, March 25, 2025 at 1PM. You can listen to the live stream at 1PM on the Ways and Means Committee hearing live stream. As this bill is identical to the House version, we’re hopeful.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>HB0910, the House cross-file, passed out of the full House on March 15, 2025 and crossed over to the Senate. The Senate is expediting some of the bills that have an identical cross-file if the Senate voted the bill out unanimously. As a result, this bill may not get a hearing, which would be a good thing. The Senate Budget and Taxation Committee has not yet scheduled a hearing or a voting session on this bill, but I’ll keep you posted.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please feel free to reach out with questions.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ronza<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='color:#1F497D'>Ronza Othman, </span></b><span style='color:#1F497D'>President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>443-426-4110<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Pronouns: she, her, hers</span><o:p></o:p></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>From:</b> Maryland President <president@nfbmd.org> <br><b>Sent:</b> Wednesday, March 12, 2025 12:56 AM<br><b>To:</b> 'nfb-maryland@nfbnet.org' <nfb-maryland@nfbnet.org>; 'nfb-maryland@nfbnet.org' <nfb-maryland@nfbnet.org>; 'nfbmd@nfbnet.org' <nfbmd@nfbnet.org>; 'greater-baltimore@nfbnet.org' <greater-baltimore@nfbnet.org>; 'nfbmdtlc-chapter@nfbnet.org' <nfbmdtlc-chapter@nfbnet.org>; 'central-md-chapter@nfbnet.org' <central-md-chapter@nfbnet.org>; 'md-atlarge@nfbnet.org' <md-atlarge@nfbnet.org>; 'md-sligo@nfbnet.org' <md-sligo@nfbnet.org>; 'nationalharbor@nfbnet.org' <nationalharbor@nfbnet.org>; 'mabm@nfbnet.org' <mabm@nfbnet.org>; 'mdabs@nfbnet.org' <mdabs@nfbnet.org>; 'mdpobc@nfbnet.org' <mdpobc@nfbnet.org>; 'NFB of Maryland, Baltimore County List' <md-baltimore-county@nfbnet.org><br><b>Subject:</b> Good News - Status of SB 0911 Property Tax <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Federation Family,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>SB 0911, our Property Tax Exemption for Blind Home Owners made it out of Committee last week and came before the full Senate today on second reader. It passed second reader and will go to third reader either Wednesday or Thursday this week. Should it pass the Senate, it will cross over to the House for the House’s consideration.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>You can listen to the Senate floor proceedings and possibly hear the bill pass the Senate by visiting the Maryland General Assembly website and clicking on the Senate live proceedings. They begin at 10AM.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ronza<o:p></o:p></p><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><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Ronza Othman, </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>President</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>443-426-4110<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Pronouns: she, her, hers<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness 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<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>