[NFBMT] Montana Legislative Alert: NFB Newsline Funding

Fri Apr 16 17:50:12 UTC 2021

Spot on, Dar!  Getting NFB Newsline funded for two years is a big deal, and
the NFB-MT will do its best to recruit and support new subscribers.  That
way, we can move towards more permanent funding down the road.

Also, I would like to give a huge shout out to Sheila Leigland and Joy
Breslauer.  

Sheila, you are responsible for our getting NFB Newsline back thanks to your
relationship with a Legislator and to your efforts to get support from that
Legislator.  We would not be restoring funding for NFB Newsline without you.

Joy, your leadership as the Advocacy and Public Policy Committee Chair is
just flat wonderful!  We appreciate your leadership and all the effort it
takes to show up and educate Legislators about what the organized blind of
Montana want from state public policies.

Thank you so much, Sheila and Joy!

Jim Marks
President
National Federation of the Blind of Montana
president at nfbofmt.org
(406) 438-1421
www.nfbofmt.org

You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.

-----Original Message-----
From: NFBMT <nfbmt-bounces at nfbnet.org> On Behalf Of d m gina via NFBMT
Sent: Friday, April 16, 2021 10:50 AM
To: nfbmt at nfbnet.org
Cc: d m gina <dmgina at mysero.net>
Subject: Re: [NFBMT] Montana Legislative Alert: NFB Newsline Funding

This is good news.
Thanks for sharing.
Dar
Original message:
> Good morning, NFB of Montana Federationists.

> Here is the latest I know about the funding for NFB Newsline that has 
> been requested.

> This is part of the big funding bill that is HB 2, the General 
> Appropriations Act, which passed its third reading as amended before 
> the Senate, and was referred to the House with amendments.  On April 
> 14, on the second reading before the House, the amendments didn't pass 
> the House, so the bill was referred to a conference committee, which 
> consisted of members appointed from the House and the Senate.  On 
> April 21 there was a hearing before the Senate portion of the 
> conference committee, and the bill is currently in the second House
committee, non-tabled.

> In the meantime, the bill that has to do with NFB Newsline funding is 
> now HB 632, which will implement receipt of and appropriate Federal 
> stimulus and COVID recovery funds.  The portion having to do with NFB 
> Newsline funding is on page 21 of the bill.  If it passes, as it 
> stands now, NFB Newsline will be funded with American Rescue Plan Act 
> funds to the tune of sixty thousand dollars a year for the next two 
> years, for a total of 120 thousand, starting on July 1.

> HB 632 passed its third reading in the House and was referred to the 
> Senate Finance and Claims Committee, after having passed its first 
> reading in the Senate.  The committee concurred the bill as amended.  
> It passed its second and third reading before the House and was 
> referred back to the Senate with amendments on April 15.

> As Jennie Stapp, state librarian, said in an email to me yesterday, "I 
> fully expect this appropriation to remain in the bill as it's 
> finalized.  We would like to work with NFB to put together an 
> agreement that funds Newsline and the marketing and training described 
> during budget testimony earlier in the session.  We will reach out to you
when the bill is passed."

> So far, this looks like a go, and I congratulate the members of the 
> NFB who have worked so hard to restore the funding for NFB Newsline.

> Joy Breslauer, First Vice President, and Advocacy and Public Policy 
> Committee Chair

> National Federation of the Blind of Montana

> Web Site: http://www.nfbofmt.org <http://www.nfbofmt.org/>

> Live the life you want

> The National Federation of the Blind is a community of members and 
> friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation's blind. 
> Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.

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