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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>A RESOLUTION REGARDING<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>THE BRITE ACT, HB 2150<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>WHEREAS, education is the foundation for success in today's information age; and <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>WHEREAS, HB 2150, also known as the BRITE Act, consolidates and clarifies the obligations of elementary and secondary schools in Missouri to provide instruction and services to each blind student; and <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>WHEREAS, this bill makes it clear that none of these services may be denied to a legally blind student simply because they may have some remaining vision; and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>WHEREAS, this bill represents the work of consumers, teachers, school administrators, and specialists working in school districts across the state and represents unity that too seldom accompanies proposals before the Missouri General Assembly: Now, therefore<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri in convention assembled this third day of April, 2022, in the City of Springfield, Missouri, that this organization urge the Missouri General Assembly to pass this bill, for the governor to sign it, and for all parties to perform the necessary oversight to see that both the letter and the spirit of the law are carried out for the betterment of Missouri's blind students as they move toward leading fulfilling and productive lives along with their sighted peers.<o:p></o:p></span></p><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><br clear=all style='page-break-before:always'></span><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>A RESOLUTION REGARDING<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Removal Of The Certified Mail Requirement For The Missouri Blind Pension<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>WHEREAS, each blind Missourian who receives the Blind Pension or Supplemental Aid to the Blind is required to be evaluated annually to see if they still qualify for the assistance provided through these programs; and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>WHEREAS, concerns about the receipt of the paperwork to do this recertification prompted legislation mandating that these materials be sent by certified mail; and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>WHEREAS, the seeming good will and commonsense of this legislation was and still is evident, the results have not been as expected, and the certified mail requirement has led to extra expense on the part of the state, to blind recipients, and has added to the difficulty in filing for recertification in a timely manner: Now, therefore<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri in convention assembled this third day of April, 2022, in the City of Springfield, Missouri, that this organization urge the Missouri General Assembly to remove the requirement that these materials be sent by certified mail; and<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge the adoption of an automated system to alert recipients that materials for their recertification will soon appear in their mailboxes and to explain when these materials must be returned to the Family Support Division.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>A RESOLUTION <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Commending Brenda shields<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>WHEREAS, very often members of the legislature will either introduce or cosponsor a piece of legislation at the behest of their constituents merely to show support, but they do little or no follow-up, thereby allowing the issue to languish; and<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>WHEREAS, Representative Brenda Shields has worked diligently on the BRITE Act for over a year, including numerous meetings with stakeholders and fellow legislators, leading to her introduction of HB 2150; and<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>WHEREAS, she continues to push for passage of this vital piece of legislation through the daunting legislative process: Now, therefore<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Missouri in convention assembled this third day of April, 2022, in Springfield, Missouri, that we highly commend Representative Shields for her efforts on behalf of the blind and visually impaired children of Missouri.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'>A RESOLUTION ABOUT JAIL, THE LAW, AND THE PRESIDENCY<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>WHEREAS, time waits for no man, but sometimes time must be served; and<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>WHEREAS, someone was arrested last evening but was not available to serve her time or sing her song, though time she serves for us aplenty, and she sings on our behalf in every way we could want: Now, therefore<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>BE it Resolved that we commend our leader for all that she is and all that she does, while reminding her that no president is above the law and demanding that she join us in singing Twinkle Twinkle Little Star and You are our sunshine, our only sunshine, you make us happy when skies are grey, you'll never know friend, how much we love you, please don't lock our sunshine away.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;line-height:106%;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></body></html>