[NFBMT] Urgent Legislative Update

Sat Feb 6 16:48:57 UTC 2021

Hello, fellow NFB members.

Exciting news!  Sheila Leigland contacted a longtime friend of hers in the 2021 Montana Legislature, and explained what NFB Newsline is and that we don’t have access to it anymore, but would like to.  Her friend suggested there might be money in the State Library budget, there for the asking.  You don’t know if you don’t ask. 

There is a meeting of the Joint Appropriations Subcommittee on Education this coming Monday, February 8, at 9:00AM, regarding Bill HB-2, which is the General Appropriations Act.  The General Appropriations Act is divided into many sections and overseen by many committees, each dealing with a certain part of the budget.  On Monday, this committee will be dealing with the state library budget, among other things.  It’s not a question of whether the bill will pass or fail, because it always passes, but it is a question of deciding how much funding will go to which department for what reason.  That is why it is imperative that we submit testimony about funding NFB-Newsline now.   

Since time is so short, I would suggest doing one of two things:  

Submit written testimony by clicking on this link https://leg.mt.gov/public-testimony

*	You will be able to select from the bills that are currently scheduled for hearing for the next 3 days. 
*	By noon the day before the hearing, you will be able to submit your written testimony, write a brief message, or request a Zoom link to testify in the bill hearing.
*	Fill out the form with the pertinent details and submit.  You will receive an email confirmation.
*	You do not have to testify in order to submit written comments.  Written comments received by the deadline will be distributed to all committee members. However, if you request a Zoom link, we request that you write a brief message in the event of technical difficulties so that your name will be entered into the record. 
*	If you wish to submit written testimony after the Noon deadline please call the Information Desk at (406) 444-4800 for assistance, or submit written comments using the web form: https://leg.mt.gov/web-messaging/
*	Rules of decorum must be followed and the Presiding Officer will call on you when it is your turn to speak.  Follow the Zoom directions and raise your hand to let the Remote Committee Coordinator know when you want to speak.  We will not assume that because you requested the Zoom link that you automatically want to testify.   There may be limits placed on how many people are allowed to testify remotely on each bill.

So if you fill out the form or call, you want to select the bill HB-2, which is the general Appropriations Act.  The committee you want to contact regarding your written or called-in testimony is the Joint Appropriations subcommittee on Education, which will meet on Monday, February 8, at 9:00AM.

Watch/Listen

 <http://sg001-harmony.sliq.net/00309/Harmony/en> Watch or listen to committee hearings: All committee meetings will have a video-stream link and an audio-stream link so you can observe a committee meeting live or watch the archive of the hearing.

This is so exciting if this works out!  This is the closest we have come to funding NFB-Newsline since we lost it in the fall of 2019.  Thank you, Sheila! 

Joy Breslauer, First Vice President

National Federation of the Blind of Montana 

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

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