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<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">
<DIV>Greetings to all!</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Please read through the entire message.</DIV>
<DIV>We need your time, effort to make a difference.</DIV>
<DIV>We have provided template letters.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Please share with others.</DIV>
<DIV>Joe </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV style="FONT-SIZE: 12pt; FONT-FAMILY: 'Calibri'; COLOR: #000000">We
care. We
share. We grow. We make a difference<BR>Joe Ruffalo, President <BR>National
Federation of the Blind of New Jersey <BR>973 743
0075<BR>nfbnj1@verizon.net<BR>Your old car keys can be keys to literacy for
the
blind.<BR>Donate your unwanted vehicle to us by clicking
<BR>www.carshelpingtheblind.org <BR>or call 855 659 9314<BR></DIV>
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style='FONT-SIZE: small; TEXT-DECORATION: none; FONT-FAMILY: "Calibri";
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<DIV style="FONT: 10pt tahoma">
<DIV><FONT size=3 face=Calibri></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV style="BACKGROUND: #f5f5f5">
<DIV style="font-color: black"><B>From:</B> <A title=rysteve@comcast.net
href="mailto:rysteve@comcast.net">Ryan Stevens</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, August 06, 2020 12:40 PM</DIV>
<DIV><B>To:</B> <A title=nfbnj1@verizon.net
href="mailto:nfbnj1@verizon.net">joe
ruffalo</A> </DIV>
<DIV><B>Subject:</B> Legislative alert reinforcement</DIV></DIV></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV></DIV>
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<P class=MsoNormal>Joe,<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3></FONT></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Please forward the below message from me as NFBNJ
Legislative
Director to the affiliate distribution list.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3></FONT></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Thanks and take care,<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal> Ryan<o:p></o:p></P>
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style="BORDER-TOP: medium none; BORDER-RIGHT: medium none; BORDER-BOTTOM:
medium none; PADDING-BOTTOM: 0in; PADDING-TOP: 0in; PADDING-LEFT: 0in;
BORDER-LEFT: medium none; PADDING-RIGHT: 0in"><o:p><FONT
size=3></FONT></o:p> </P></DIV>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3></FONT></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Greetings, fellow NFBNJ members,<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3></FONT></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Earlier this week, NFB Executive Director for Advocacy
and
Policy John Pare sent out a legislative alert. He is asking all of us to
contact
our Senators concerning two issues.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3></FONT></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>The first is a bill called Sami's Law. It was sponsored
by
New Jersey Representative Christopher Smith, and has bill number HR4686. It
requires rideshare services such as Uber and Lyft to include improved
security
features on their apps. It also includes language that mandates
accessibility
for blind users, and we want the Senate to pass this bill as it was
transmitted
from the House of Representatives on July 29.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3></FONT></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>The second bill we need you to take action on is the
Senate
bill S4317, the Safe To Work Act. This is the Senate version of the new
covid-19
relief package. In this legislation, there is language which would
ultimately
weaken the Americans with Disabilities Act. Parts of Sections 181(a) and
181(b)
of S4317 would exempt employers and owners/operators of public accomodations
from facing penalties under the ADA if they put accessibility barriers in
place
in an attempt to reduce the spread of covid-19. These protections would
remain
in effect until October 1, 2024. We need you to ask Senators Booker and
Menendez
to introduce amendments to remove these provisions.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3></FONT></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>You can either call the offices or email the Legislative
Directors of our two Senators. Here is the contact information for
each:<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3></FONT></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Corey Booker<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Phone number: (202) 224-3224<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Legislative Director: Veronica Duron,
veronica_duron@booker.senate.gov <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3></FONT></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Robert Menendez<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Phone number: (202) 224-4744<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Legislative Director: Jason Tuber,
jason_tuber@menendez.senate.gov <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Each Senator must be contacted separately, no matter
which
method you choose. Finally, after my signature is a template of text you can
use
for emails. For anything inside square brackets ([]), please change them to
the
requested text. Also, feel free to make other minor changes to reflect your
writing style. These are very urgent matters, so please make every effort to
let
your voice be heard!<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3></FONT></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Thanks and take care,<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal> Ryan<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3></FONT></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Ryan Stevens, Legislative Director<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of New
Jersey<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3></FONT></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p><FONT size=3></FONT></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Dear [Legislative Director first name],<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>My name is[Your full name], and I live in [Your town],
New
Jersey. The House recently passed H.R. 4686, Sami’s Law. This bill
will
make it safer for all people, including blind people, to use rideshare apps,
and
I urge you to vote in favor of this legislation when it is considered in the
Senate.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Additionally, I would strongly urge the Senator to
propose
amendments to strike Sections 181(a) and 181(b) from S. 4317, the SAFE TO
WORK
Act. The language currently contained in these sections critically weakens
the
protections for disabled Americans set forth in the Americans with
Disabilities
Act. Please ensure that the protections of the ADA are maintained. Thank
you,
and be well and be safe.<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>[Your full name]<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>[Your street address]<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>[Your city], NJ [Your zip code]<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>[Your phone number]<o:p></o:p></P>
<P class=MsoNormal>[Your email address]<o:p></o:p></P>
<P
class=MsoNormal><o:p></o:p> </P></DIV></DIV></DIV></DIV></BODY></HTML>