[NFBofAlaska] Legislation update.

[whitley.kevin63 at gmail.com]

Greetings,

 

Pasted below and attached is a joint letter from Norma Crosby, President,
National Federation of the Blind of Texas, Kevin Whitley, President,
National Federation of the Blind of Alaska, Camille Tate, President,
National Federation of the Blind of Florida, R. Diane Graves, President,
National Federation of the Blind of Indiana, Tom Page, President, National
Federation of the Blind of Kansas, Pam Allen, President, National Federation
of the Blind of Louisiana, Shelia Wright, President, National Federation of
the Blind of Missouri, James P. Marks, President,National Federation of the
Blind of Montana, Ismael Collazo, President, National Federation of the
Blind of South Dakota, to the Attorneys General representing Texas, Alaska,
Indiana, Florida, Kansas, Louisiana, Missouri, Montana, and South Dakota
regarding their participation as plaintiffs in the Texas v. Kennedy lawsuit.


 

Sincerely,

 

Jesse Shirek

Director of Advocacy, National Federation of the Blind

 

February 12, 2026

 

 

Dear Attorneys General Paxton, Cox, Uthmeier, Rokita, Kobach, Murrill,
Hanaway, Knudsen, and Jackley:

 

The National Federation of the Blind, the transformative membership and
advocacy organization of blind Americans, urges Attorneys General throughout
the United States  to acknowledge the full importance of Section 504 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 ("Section 504") and Olmstead v. L.C., 527 U.S.
581 (1999) ("Olmstead") by immediately withdrawing their support for Texas
v. Kennedy and its attacks on the integration mandate in the United States.

 

On January 23, 2026, the nine remaining plaintiffs in Texas v. Kennedy filed
to overturn the Olmstead decision's community integration mandate, thereby
laying the groundwork for the forced institutionalization of disabled people
nationwide. Specifically, the January 23 filing again seeks to declare the
entire Section 504 rule as illegal, stop the Department of Health and Human
Services (HHS) from enforcing the rule, and stop HHS from instructing states
not to take actions which place people with disabilities at "serious risk"
of institutionalization. The National Federation of the Blind unequivocally
condemns this action and is inherently opposed to the forced
institutionalization of people with disabilities or any action which may
lead to forced institutionalization.

 

As the National Federation of the Blind indicated in our letter from
February 2025, "The United States has long recognized a disabled person's
value as a student, employee, and a member of the public." Overturning
Olmstead would mean that rather than receiving services in our homes,
neighborhood schools, and local communities, we would be forced out of
public life entirely and into institutions which neither value nor serve us.
Such a move could neither be interpreted as equitable nor as equal treatment
under the law. Americans with disabilities are not inferior to our
non-disabled peers and we will not be hidden away.

 

The ultimate goal of the National Federation of the Blind is complete
integration of the blind into society. Throughout the course of our
eighty-five-year history, the Federation has worked diligently and
tirelessly to combat discrimination based on misconceptions and low
expectations. We believe that disabled Americans have the right to receive
the education, training, and opportunity required to lead productive lives,
and we do not believe that law-abiding people with disabilities who are
simply trying to live the lives we want should be forced into any facility
against our will. Such a move would not only be legally wrong, but also
morally reprehensible.

 

We urge you to immediately withdraw your support for Texas v. Kennedy and
the dismantling of Olmstead, including its community integration mandate and
Section 504. 

 

Sincerely, 

 

Norma Crosby, President

National Federation of the Blind of Texas

 

Kevin Whitley, President

National Federation of the Blind of Alaska

 

Camille Tate, President

National Federation of the Blind of Florida

 

R. Diane Graves, President

National Federation of the Blind of Indiana

 

Tom Page, President

National Federation of the Blind of Kansas

 

Pam Allen, President

National Federation of the Blind of Louisiana

 

Shelia Wright, President

National Federation of the Blind of Missouri

 

James P. Marks, President

National Federation of the Blind of Montana

 

Ismael Collazo, President

National Federation of the Blind of South Dakota

 

 

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