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--></style></head><body lang=EN-US link="#467886" vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hi Barbara:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks for offering to assist me with this. I haven\u2019t written resolutions in twenty-five years. Any edits would be very much appreciated.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Attached is the resolution.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'>From:</span></b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-ligatures:none'> Ohio-Talk <ohio-talk-bounces@nfbnet.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Barbara Pierce via Ohio-Talk<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, November 4, 2025 10:58 AM<br><b>To:</b> NFB of Ohio Announcement List <ohio-talk@nfbnet.org><br><b>Cc:</b> Barbara Pierce <barbara.pierce9366@gmail.com><br><b>Subject:</b> Re: [Ohio-Talk] NFB of Ohio State Convention Resolutions<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Nice job with the resolutions. There are some problems with the punctuation and grammar in the second one. I would be happy to fix these if you want to send me a Word copy. I could also go over the text with you on the phone.<span style='mso-ligatures:none'><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>Barbara<o:p></o:p></p><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black'>Barbara Pierce (she, her, hers)<o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:9.0pt;font-family:"Helvetica",sans-serif;color:black'>President Emerita<br>National Federation of the Blind of Ohio<br><a href="mailto:Barbara.pierce9366@gmail.com">Barbara.pierce9366@gmail.com</a><br>440-774-8077<br> <br><br>The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise expectations for blind people because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and their dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back.<o:p></o:p></span></p></div></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><br><br><o:p></o:p></p><blockquote style='margin-top:5.0pt;margin-bottom:5.0pt'><div><p class=MsoNormal>On Nov 3, 2025, at 4:52<span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>\u202f</span>PM, bullis.michael--- via Ohio-Talk <<a href="mailto:ohio-talk@nfbnet.org">ohio-talk@nfbnet.org</a>> wrote:<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Hello Colleagues:<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>We have received two resolutions for consideration at this year\u2019s State convention. I post them below. If you have any corrections or suggested additions, please send them to me at <a href="mailto:bullis.michael@gmail.com">bullis.michael@gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b>As a reminder, the Resolutions Committee will mee on Friday at 6:00 PM in the Bradley room.</b><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b> </b><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b>RESOLUTION 2025-01</b><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><b>Regarding the Reductions in Force at the United States Department of Education</b><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>WHEREAS, the United States Department of Education administers programs essential to promote education, independence, and economic opportunity for millions of blind Americans; and<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>WHEREAS, contained within the Department of Education is the Office for Civil Rights (OCR) and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services (OSERS), which houses the Office of Special Education Programs (OSEP) and the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), all of which provide essential resources to aid blind Americans in our pursuit of education and employment; and <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>WHEREAS, these divisions are responsible for the enforcement and oversight of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. § 1400 et seq.), vocational rehabilitation services (29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.), the Randolph-Sheppard program (20 U.S.C. § 107 et seq.), and the Independent Living Services for Older Individuals who are Blind (OIB) program (29 U.S.C. 796j-796l), as well as enforcement of Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act; and<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>WHEREAS, at 12:00 a.m. on October 1, 2025, after the United States Congress failed to pass either a budget bill or a continuing resolution, the Federal Government was shut down due to lack of funding; and <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>WHEREAS, on October 10, 2025, during the Federal Government shutdown, Reduction in Force (RIF) notices were issued to OSERS and OCR employees, which decimated both offices to the point of practically eliminating them; and <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>WHEREAS, the elimination of OSERS will cause a loss of institutional knowledge, possible disruption in the distribution of federal funding that helps supplement critical state programs, and a loss of administrative support and technical assistance for IDEA programs, Rehabilitation Act of 1973 programs, and the Randolph-Sheppard Program; and<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>WHEREAS, the elimination of the OCR will cause a severe reduction in the capacity to investigate and enforce both Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in educational institutions that are funded at the federal, state, and local levels; and <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>WHEREAS, Vocational Rehabilitation programs are extremely efficient, as a study published by Associate Professor Michelle Yin of Northwestern University in 2024 \u201csuggests that every dollar invested in VR services results in a return of $21.5 over a 43-year working lifespan for VR clients\u201d; and<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>WHEREAS, without these protection and enforcement mechanisms, blind students, employees, and entrepreneurs will be left vulnerable to discrimination: Now, therefore<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, in convention assembled this 9<sup>th</sup> day of November, in the city of Westlake Ohio, that this organization urge the administration to immediately rescind the Reduction in Force orders issued to the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative Services and the Office for Civil Rights on October 10, 2025; and<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand the Department of Education ensure that there is adequate staffing to fulfill its statutory requirement to administer the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Randolph-Sheppard Program, and the Americans with Disabilities Act; and<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand the Department of Education promptly distribute all funds appropriated by Congress and associated with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, helping ensure that blind Americans can continue to achieve our dreams of education and employment. <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>****<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Vending Priority in Ohio<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Resolution 2025-02<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>WHEREAS, the Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS), which manages the Rhodes State Office Tower in downtown Columbus, has entered into an illegal contractual agreement with Traveling Tom\u2019s Coffee to operate a coffee bar in the building\u2019s basement, and, <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>WHEREAS, this action contravenes Ohio\u2019s Mini Randolph-Shephard Act, which mandates that all state properties must notify the Bureau of Services for the Visually Impaired (BSVI) when considering new opportunities for vending or food service operations. BSVI is then responsible for evaluating whether the opportunity is suitable for a licensed blind vendor to manage; and,<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>WHEREAS, in this case, DAS did not follow the required procedures for the coffee business and has engaged in an illegal contractual relationship with Tom\u2019s Coffee; and,<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>Whereas, there are currently two blind vendors in the Rhodes State Office building whose income will be reduced by allowing an illegal coffee vendor in the building;<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>NOW THEREFORE,<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, in convention Assembled this 9<sup>th</sup> day of November in the city of Westlake Ohio, that we demand that the Department of Administrative Services of Ohio immediately rescind its illegal contract with Tom\u2019s Coffee; and,<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we will work proactively with the Bureau of Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired (BSVI), to see that The Ohio Mini-Randolph-Sheppard State law is fully enforced, up to and including seeking an injunction to stop DAS from implementing this illegal contract; and,<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio will take all necessary actions, including press communications and legal action to seek full compliance by the State of Ohio with the mini-Randolph-Sheppard law.<o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>Michael Bullis</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>Organization Support Services,</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>Direct phone: 443-286-9001</span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:auto;mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>Address</span><o:p></o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>5665 E. Clinton St.,</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:11.0pt;mso-ligatures:none'>Albany Ohio 45710</span><o:p></o:p></p></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-ligatures:none'>_______________________________________________<br>Ohio-Talk mailing list<br><a href="mailto:Ohio-Talk@nfbnet.org">Ohio-Talk@nfbnet.org</a><br><a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ohio-talk_nfbnet.org">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/ohio-talk_nfbnet.org</a><br>To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Ohio-Talk:<br><a href="http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ohio-talk_nfbnet.org/barbara.pierce9366%40gmail.com">http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/ohio-talk_nfbnet.org/barbara.pierce9366%40gmail.com</a><o:p></o:p></span></p></div></blockquote></div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='mso-ligatures:none'><o:p> </o:p></span></p></div></div></body></html>