[Nfbv-announce] URGENT Legislative Issue for the Blind of Virginia

[Mark W. Roane]

    Good afternoon all,

 

I am writing to ask for your URGENT help.

 

As you may already know, Governor McDonald's commission on Government Reform recommended consolidation of several departments and agencies but did not include the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI) in it's recommendation.

 

When the State Senate considered this issue (SB678) they not only followed the commissions recommendations, they also excluded the Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing (DDHH) from any consolidation.

 

When the House of Delegates considered this issue (HB1291) they were following the commissions recommendations.  Unfortunately, just before the House voted on this bill, Delegate Landes offered an amendment to HB1291 which included DBVI in the proposed consolidation.  The amendment was accepted and HB1291 passed the House of Delegates with an 82 to 17 vote.

 

Now that two different versions have passed their respective chambers, the bills will "cross over" to the other chamber to be considered.  We believe that the Senate committee on General Laws & Technology will be taking up this issue.  Attached is a spreadsheet which lists all of the members of this committee.  To contact a State Senator, call (804) 698-75XX where XX is the Senator's district number.

 

It is vitally important that we contact all of the State Senators immediately and let them know that consolidating DBVI will be detrimental to all blind Virginians and encourage them not to agree to the version of the bill that was approved by the House of Delegates.  Time is of the essence so call NOW.

 

After calling the Senator's offices, please let me know by e-mail or by phone call that you have made the call and if you are a constituent of one of the Senators on the General Laws & Technology committee.

 

Thanks for your support with this issue.  Together we will preserve an independent and strong agency for the blind of Virginia.

 

 

 

Mark Roane

(804) 262-7057  Home

(318) 243-6445  Cell

 
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