<div><div><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;line-height:1.2;font-size:18px"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">Greetings all,</span></span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;line-height:1.2;font-size:18px"><span style="line-height:21.600000381469727px"> </span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;line-height:1.2;font-size:18px" dir="auto"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">I am</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"> pleased to share this important update and a request for your participation.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;line-height:1.2;font-size:18px"><span style="line-height:21.600000381469727px"> </span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;line-height:1.2;font-size:18px"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">The National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey has been working with Assemblywoman Yvonne Lopez, D-19</span></span><span style="line-height:10.800000190734863px;font-size:9px;vertical-align:super;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:16.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">th</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"> District to protect the rights of disabled </span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">parents </span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">by introducing and sponsoring the Disabled Parental Rights Bill. On</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"> March 17, </span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">2021 </span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">the bill, A5517, was</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"> i</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;background-color:rgb(253,253,253)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">ntroduced and referred to </span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;background-color:rgb(253,253,253)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">the </span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;background-color:rgb(253,253,253)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">Assembly Judiciary Committee.</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;background-color:rgb(253,253,253)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"> </span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">The Adult Rehabilitation Center (ARC) has joined our efforts as a sponsor.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;line-height:1.2;font-size:18px"><span style="line-height:21.600000381469727px"> </span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;line-height:1.2;font-size:18px" dir="auto"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">On Wednesday, June 9 the Judiciary Committee convened to review and vote</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"> on its status</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">. As your elected President I was asked to give testimony on our behalf</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">. In addition, I advocated as a </span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">private citizen</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"> for the disabled community</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;line-height:1.2;font-size:18px"><span style="line-height:21.600000381469727px"> </span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;line-height:1.2;font-size:18px"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">I am excited and honored to let you know the vote was unanimous in favor to report out of Assembly Committee and is pending </span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">a </span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">full </span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">legislative vote.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;line-height:1.2;font-size:18px"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"><br></span></span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;line-height:1.2;font-size:18px"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">To learn more about NJ A5517</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">, view the bill text and </span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">leave a comment click on the link below;</span></span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;line-height:1.2;font-size:18px"><span style="line-height:21.600000381469727px"> </span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:0px;line-height:21.600000381469727px;font-size:18px"><a href="https://legiscan.com/NJ/bill/A5517/2020" target="_blank"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;color:rgb(0,0,255)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">https://legiscan.com/NJ/bill/A5517/2020</span></span></a></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:12px;line-height:1.2;font-size:18px"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"><br></span></span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:12px;line-height:1.2;font-size:18px"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">I strongly encourage every disabled New Jersey resident to leave a comment of support to increase A5517 becoming law</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"> before the Legislature breaks for summer vacation.</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"> Thank you, in advance.</span></span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:12px;line-height:1.2;font-size:18px"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">​</span></span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:12px;line-height:1.2;font-size:18px"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">Warmly, </span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"><br></span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">Linda Melendez, President</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"><br></span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"><br></span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">732-421-7063</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"><br></span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">Email:</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"> </span></span><a href="mailto:president@nfbnj.org" target="_blank"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;color:rgb(17,85,204)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">president@nfbnj.org</span></span></a><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"><br></span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;font-style:italic"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">Website:</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;font-style:italic"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"> </span></span><a href="http://www.nfbnj.org/" target="_blank"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-style:italic;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;color:rgb(5,99,193)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">www.nfbnj.org</span></span></a><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;font-style:italic"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"><br></span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;font-style:italic"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">Facebook:</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;font-style:italic"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"> </span></span><a href="https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238" target="_blank"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-style:italic;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;color:rgb(5,99,193)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238</span></span></a><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;font-style:italic"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"><br></span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;font-style:italic"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">Twitter:</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;font-style:italic"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"> </span></span><a href="https://twitter.com/nfbnewjersey" target="_blank"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-style:italic;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;color:rgb(5,99,193)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">@NFBNewJersey</span></span></a><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;font-style:italic"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"><br></span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;font-style:italic"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">YouTube:</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;font-style:italic"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"> </span></span><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKEDbjGsCYHMlwd4gqpBPjg" target="_blank"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;font-style:italic;font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;color:rgb(5,99,193)"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">NFBNJTransformDreams</span></span></a><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;font-style:italic"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"><br></span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;font-style:italic"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">Live the life you want.</span></span><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;font-style:italic"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em"><br></span></span></p><p style="margin-top:0px;margin-bottom:12px;line-height:1.2;font-size:18px"><span style="line-height:16.799999237060547px;color:rgb(34,34,34);font-size:14px;font-family:Tahoma;font-style:italic"><span style="line-height:25.200000762939453px;font-size:1.5em">The National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Everyday we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.</span></span></p>
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</div>-- <br><div dir="ltr" class="gmail_signature" data-smartmail="gmail_signature"><div dir="ltr"><div><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br></span></font><div><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span>​</span>Warmly, <br>Linda Melendez, President<br>National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey<br>732-421-7063<br></span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)">Email: </span><a href="mailto:president@nfbnj.org" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank">president@nfbnj.org</a><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"></span><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br><i>Website: </i></span><a href="http://www.nfbnj.org/" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">www.nfbnj.org</span></i></a><i style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br>Facebook: </i><a href="https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">https://m.facebook.com/NFB-NJ-353099574776238</span></i></a><i style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br>Twitter: </i><a href="https://twitter.com/nfbnewjersey" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">@NFBNewJersey</span></i></a><i style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br>YouTube: </i><a href="https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKEDbjGsCYHMlwd4gqpBPjg" style="color:rgb(17,85,204)" target="_blank"><i><span style="color:rgb(5,99,193)">NFBNJTransformDreams</span></i></a><i style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><br>Live the life you want.<br></i><br style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><i><font size="1">The National Federation of the Blind of New Jersey is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Everyday we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.</font></i></span></font><br></div><div><font face="tahoma, sans-serif"><span style="color:rgb(34,34,34)"><i><font size="1"><br></font></i></span></font></div><div></div></div><div dir="auto"></div><font color="#888888"></font></div></div>