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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink="#96607D" style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Great news!<o:p></o:p></p><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;mso-ligatures:none'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'> NFBMO <nfbmo-bounces@nfbnet.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Shelia Wright via NFBMO<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, February 17, 2026 7:16 PM<br><b>To:</b> 'NFB of Missouri Mailing List' <nfbmo@nfbnet.org><br><b>Cc:</b> sbwright95@gmail.com<br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [NFBMO] FW: DeafBlind Support Services Legislation<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Hello Friends,<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>I just wanted to confirm that the House Legislative Review Committee voted 8 to 0 do pass on HB 2408 to day.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Shelia<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></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;mso-ligatures:none'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'> NFBMO <<a href="mailto:nfbmo-bounces@nfbnet.org">nfbmo-bounces@nfbnet.org</a>> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Dennis Miller via NFBMO<br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, February 13, 2026 6:00 PM<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:nfbmo@nfbnet.org">nfbmo@nfbnet.org</a><br><b>Cc:</b> Dennis Miller <<a href="mailto:millerdennis893@gmail.com">millerdennis893@gmail.com</a>><br><b>Subject:</b> [NFBMO] FW: DeafBlind Support Services Legislation<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><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;mso-ligatures:none'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'> Davis, Becky <<a href="mailto:Becky.Davis@mcdhh.mo.gov">Becky.Davis@mcdhh.mo.gov</a>> <br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, February 13, 2026 5:20 PM<br><b>To:</b> <a href="mailto:mcdhh@mcdhh.mo.gov">mcdhh@mcdhh.mo.gov</a><br><b>Subject:</b> DeafBlind Support Services Legislation<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>UPDATE:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Friends to the DeafBlind Support Services Program, Good afternoon from MCDHH, the Missouri Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing. I would like to provide a short update on the legislation that was introduced for the DeafBlind Support Services Program which includes the SSP program and the scholarship SPIE program. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Early this week the bill (HB2408) had a hearing with the Legislative Review committee. There was a hearing and Rep. Brenda Shields, the sponsor, gave testimony, as did Sheila Wright with the National Federation of the Blind Missouri, Brett Wilhelm, and Lydia Olmsted. If you look up the status of the bill, it says “Bill has not been put on the House calendar”. It is the Majority Floor Leader who does that, schedules bills for a vote. Today, I sent Mr. Alex Riley (<a href="mailto:alex.riley@house.mo.gov">alex.riley@house.mo.gov</a> ) an email giving him a short recap of the program, telling him that this bill removes restrictive language from the bill so it can expand funding as needed, and asking him to put it on the calendar for a vote. If you can take a few minutes to do the same, it would increase the chances of this bill moving to the calendar.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>I would also encourage you to contact your own legislators. The link for Legislator Look Up is at the bottom of this message. If you can let them know you hope the bill is voted on or ask to please support it should it come up for a vote, it would be appreciated. The task force has a sample letter available and attached if you would like to edit and use this, or any part of this, please feel free. It is from a program participant’s perspective. I have other sample letters I will review and try to send.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>NOTE: This message is being sent to the consumer list and SSP list I have which may be dated. My apologies, please let me know if you wish to be removed from this list. As well, please feel free to share. This is a small change to ask for that could have a big impact on the program.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Thank you all!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'>Legislator look up (<a href="https://www.senate.mo.gov/legislookup/default">https://www.senate.mo.gov/legislookup/default</a>)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><img border=0 width=251 height=72 style='width:2.618in;height:.75in' id="Picture_x0020_2" src="cid:image001.png@01DCA045.21B26800" alt="Conference Partnership/Sponsorship Application - MCDHH"></span><span style='mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:20.0pt;font-family:"Brush Script MT";mso-ligatures:none'>Becky M. Davis<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-ligatures:none'>Executive Director<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>3216 Emerald Lane, Suite B<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>Jefferson City, MO 65109<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><u><span style='color:#0563C1'><a href="mailto:Becky.Davis@mcdhh.mo.gov">Becky.Davis@mcdhh.mo.gov</a></span></u><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'>VP: (573) 298-6752<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div id=DAB4FAD8-2DD7-40BB-A1B8-4E2AA1F9FDF2><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-ligatures:none'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><table class=MsoNormalTable border=1 cellspacing=3 cellpadding=0 style='border:none;border-top:solid #D3D4DE 1.0pt'><tr><td width=55 style='width:41.25pt;border:none;padding:9.75pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient" target="_blank"><span style='border:solid windowtext 1.0pt;padding:0in;mso-ligatures:none;text-decoration:none'><img border=0 width=46 height=29 style='width:.4791in;height:.3055in' id="Picture_x0020_1" src="cid:image002.jpg@01DCA045.21B26800" alt="Image removed by sender."></span></a><span style='mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p></td><td width=470 style='width:352.5pt;border:none;padding:9.0pt .75pt .75pt .75pt'><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:13.5pt'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#41424E;mso-ligatures:none'>Virus-free.<a href="http://www.avg.com/email-signature?utm_medium=email&utm_source=link&utm_campaign=sig-email&utm_content=emailclient" target="_blank"><span style='color:#4453EA'>www.avg.com</span></a><o:p></o:p></span></p></td></tr></table><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-ligatures:none'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div></body></html>