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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Federation Family, <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Your help is needed and necessary in order to stop legislation that will be detrimental to the blind community in Oklahoma. You may have heard that there are several bills that have been proposed affecting the blind in our state. The bills and the actions you can take to help are outlined below:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u><span style='font-size:14.0pt'><o:p><span style='text-decoration:none'> </span></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u><span style='font-size:14.0pt'>HB1861 Regarding the Older Blind program <o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>This bill will effectively remove the management and services to the older blind from the Department of Rehabilitation and its employees to other possible organizations or private agencies. This legislation will take dollars away from Visual Services and afford it to outside interests. This bill seeks to provide a solution to a problem that does not exist. The Older Blind program needs to stay where it is! <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please e-mail or call Representative Osborne and sign the online petition to show your support for the older blind in our community. Information on how to do this is below. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Contact Representative Leslie Osborne to let her know that you, as a blind person, or someone that has close ties to the blind community and as an Oklahoman question why this is necessary and that you oppose HB1861. You may call or e-mail Representative Osborne at <span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>(405) 557-7333 or </span><a href="mailto:leslie.osborn@okhouse.gov"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>leslie.osborn@okhouse.gov</span></a><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please sign the online petition against this legislation at the link below:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/against-the-privatization-of-services-for-older?utm_source=email&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=email_thank_you" target="_blank"><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/against-the-privatization-of-services-for-older</span></a><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><u><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333'>HB2230 Regarding the exemption of county jail commissaries from priority to licensed blind managers<o:p></o:p></span></u></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333'>This bill will effectively remove a blind manager from the job that he does well and will set precedent for other locations to be removed for exemption in the future. The bill, in its current form, will remove all county jails from prioritization. Further, in the future other facilities are quite likely to be targeted as well. Last year, the legislature exempted the Capitol from priority and claimed that they would not pursue further locations in the future. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333'>This bill is not about bad service or someone’s inability to do a good job. Rather, it is about the bottom line of the Tulsa County Sheriff wanting the funds from the Commissary for the jail and is willing to put a blind guy out of his job in order to do so. Should this legislation pass the Business Enterprise Program will be the target for further “bottom line” driven decisions that will put many other blind women and men out of jobs. Please contact Representative Glen Mulready</span>, as a blind person, or someone that has close ties to the blind community and as an Oklahoman question why this is necessary and that you oppose<span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333'> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333'>Please contact Representative Mulready by phone or e-mail and sign the petition to let him know that you support the BEP and the blind managers in Oklahoma and that you oppose this legislation. You may contact Representative Mulready at </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>(405) 557-7340</span><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#333333'> or </span><a href="mailto:glen.mulready@okhouse.gov"><span style='font-size:10.0pt'>glen.mulready@okhouse.gov</span></a><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'>Please sign the petition supporting our blind managers and opposing this legislation at the link below:<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/tulsa-county-sherrif-against-working-blind" target="_blank"><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>http://www.ipetitions.com/petition/tulsa-county-sherrif-against-working-blind</span></a><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Please pass this along to your family and friends. Ask them to support you by contacting these representatives and by signing the petitions. Together, we can make a difference! <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Thank you for being a part of the collective voice of the National Federation of the Blind of Oklahoma. See you at convention!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Warm regards, <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:black'>Jeannie </span><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:black'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Jeannie M. Massay, President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>National Federation of theBlind <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Of Oklahoma<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>505 Baker Street<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Norman, OK 73072<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Phone: 405-600-0695<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'><a href="mailto:Jeannie.massay@nfbok.org">Jeannie.massay@nfbok.org</a> <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>Live the life you want!<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'>The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day, we raise expectations of the blind because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. Blindness is not what holds you back. You can live the life you want.!. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-family:"Cambria",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>