[Ohio-Talk] Urgent: The work of the Federation is ongoing at the state and federal level.

Fri May 10 17:43:53 UTC 2024

Ohio members and friends,

The work of the Federation is ongoing at the state and federal level. Therefore, we need everyone to take an active role in contacting Ohio State Representatives and Congress on several legislative initiatives. As you can see by Barbara Pierce email today, having digital displays to access channels on a hospital TV has become just one of the newest barriers on the blind. I employ you to reach out to each member in your Chapter, Divisions, and the Affiliate as a whole to get them to act. We need you to send emails to Ohio Representatives and Congress as soon as possible. If you need assistance, please reach out to one of the Ohio Legislative Committee Members, Suzanne Turner, Chair, William Turner, Andra Stover, LuAnn Bowers, Jaclyn Schiemann, Wilbert Turner, Kinshuk Tella, or Shawn Martin; and we will be glad to assist you. 

Everyone can play a role. If you cannot articulate with the pen, call and use the bill number to pledge your support. There are two initiatives, State and Federal;  with attachments for you to follow. 

Read the information below and take action immediately!

Suzanne Turner, legislative coordinator,

National Federation Of The Blind Of Ohio. 

///

Federal Bill:

From: Justin T. Young,

Government Affairs Specialist, National Federation of the Blind

Dear Federation Family,

Thank you to all who made calls and sent emails to your United States Senators this week. Because of our efforts, H.R. 3935 passed the Senate on May 9, 2024, with all of the accessibility provisions intact, by an overwhelming majority. This is great news, but the job is not done yet. The bill now heads to the House of Representatives for final consideration.

We need your help by contacting your members in the House of Representatives urging them to vote in favor of H.R. 3935, keeping in these important accessibility provisions for blind and disabled air travelers.

These provisions include training requirements for assisting passengers with disabilities, better access standards for the accessibility of in-flight entertainment, and improved access to airline websites. Additionally, the bill initiates a pilot program for air passengers to register their service animal, eliminating the need to complete the service animal forms for each flight. Therefore, we are asking you to contact your Representative in the House, either by phone or by email, to urge them to maintain the disability related portions of the bill while being considered by the House of Representatives. Given that the House is likely to vote on this by the end of next week, it would be most beneficial to contact your Representative’s office before Friday, May 17. 

When you call or email, you might say the following:

"Hello, my name is [YOUR NAME], and I am a constituent of [REPRESENTATIVE NAME]. I live in [CITY, STATE]. I would like to urge [REPRESENTATIVE NAME] to maintain the accessibility-related provisions of H.R 3935 as it moves through the House of Representatives. These provisions in the legislation will help increase the accessibility of air travel for blind and disabled passengers.

Thanks."

If applicable, feel free to personalize your message with a recent disability barrier you experienced while traveling. 

You can contact your Representative by calling the Capitol Switchboard and asking for the office in question. The number is 202-224-3121. The contact information for all House of Representatives offices is also in the attached spreadsheet. The members on the spreadsheet are organized in alphabetical order by last name. If you send an email to your Representative’s office, please copy me at jyoung at nfb.org <mailto:jyoung at nfb.org>  on the email. 

//

Ohio State Bill:

Legislation for Ohio Bill: HB 427 

prohibit employers from paying people with disabilities subminimum wage.

Subminimum wage was a practice created in 1938 under section 14c of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The goal was to provide supportive services for people with disabilities while also receiving a wage. Although the original aim of the legislation was admirable, the use of 14c certificates and the paying of subminimum wage has been used to exploit workers with disabilities and subject them to a lifetime of underpaid labor often in segregated settings. As few as only 5% of workers actual transition into competitive integrated employment.

Your personal story is needed of why you support the Ohio bill, and if you were subjected to this unfair treatment, you can be heard.

Again, if anyone needs assistance, please reach out. You can send your testimony to the Ohio Rep. or I can compile them and send it over to the advocacy leader.

Here is an example of what you can write.

[NAME]

Proponent Testimony on House Bill 427

Ohio House Government Oversight

[DATE]

Chair Peterson, Ranking Member Humphrey, and members of the House Government Oversight Committee, thank you for the opportunity to provide testimony on House Bill 427 (HB 427) the Ohio Employment First and Greater Opportunities for Persons with Disabilities Act. [PROVIDE NAME AND WHERE YOU ARE FROM]

I applaud the sponsors, Representative Jarrells and Representative Lipps, of this necessary and important piece of legislation. HB 427 would, after a five (5) year implementation period, prohibit employers from paying people with disabilities subminimum wage. A practice that violates an individual’s civil rights, conflicts with self-determination, and does not prepare people with disabilities to gain competitive integrated employment in their communities.

Subminimum wage was a practice created in 1938 under section 14c of the Fair Labor Standards Act. The goal was to provide supportive services for people with disabilities while also receiving a wage. Although the original aim of the legislation was admirable, the use of 14c certificates and the paying of subminimum wage has been used to exploit workers with disabilities and subject them to a lifetime of underpaid labor often in segregated settings. As few as only 5% of workers actual transition into competitive integrated employment.

[PERSONAL STORY ON WHY YOU SUPPORT THIS BILL, HOW SUBMINIMUM WAGE HAS IMPACTED YOUR LIFE, AND/OR WHY MEANINGFUL EMPLOYMENT IN THE COMMUNITY IS IMPORTANT]

Paying subminimum wage assumes people are incapable of being fully integrated into the general workforce, a notion that is at odds with the disability policy that has emerged over the past forty (40) years. Since the inception of subminimum wage, amendments to Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, the Developmental Bill of Rights and Assistance Act, and the Americans with Disabilities Act (to name a few) have passed expanding rights for people with disabilities. It is time Ohio act and eliminate this antiquated policy.

[PROVIDE ADDITIONAL VIEW ON WHY YOU THINK SUBMINIMUM WAGE NEEDS TO BE ELIMINATED]

Review the attachments.

Suzanne M. Hartfield Turner

National Federation of the Blind of Ohio

Executive Board of Director

Ohio Legislative Director

Cleveland Chapter, President

(216P: ) 990-6199

W: NFBOhio.ORG

Facebook:  <https://www.facebook.com/ohiosblind/photos/> https://www.facebook.com/ohiosblind/photos/

Together, with love, hope, and determination, the members of the National Federation of the Blind transform dreams into reality. You can live the life you want, blindness does not hold you back.

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