Helping the Blind and Visually Impaired throughout Montana

Message from: Doug Robinson, MAB President:

Immediate Action Required by Citizens and Organizations Opposing Montana office of the Attorney General participation in a Texas-driven suit regarding Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and the Rehabilitation Act

Dear MAB Members,
According to established federal and state legislation, entities that receive federal funding must Honor the needs of all people with disabilities, including vision loss and blindness. In the past few weeks, however, Attorney Generals from 16 states, including Montana, have joined with the Texas AG in suing the federal government, stating that language designed to include those experiencing "gender dysphoria" makes Section 504 of the Americans with Disabilities Act and the Rehabilitation Act "unconstitutional."
Were this suit to succeed, organizations receiving federal funding would no longer be required to equally serve those with disabilities such as low vision and blindness. Disability related organizations, such as the National Federation of the Blind, the National Disability Rights Network, the National Council on Independent Living, the American Association of People with Disabilities, the Disability Rights Education and Defense Fund, and many more have voiced their displeasure with this lawsuit.
As MAB President, together with Montana National Federation of the Blind president Jim Marks, I am forwarding the following contact information to assist all Montana Association for the Blind members wishing to add their names to this movement by writing to protest Montana Attorney General Knutzen's decision to include Montana within this suit. Be sure to clearly explain why existing disability legislation is crucial to you so that our AG can fully understand the gravity of the situation, reminding AG Knutzen that Section 504 protects blind and other disabled people from discrimination by entities that receive federal funds.
MAB and NFB-MT will carefully monitor this situation and keep everyone informed of any new developments.
Perhaps prompted by feelings that disability legislation may no longer be enforced, national companies such as Walmart, Amazon – and others – are terminating their equal hiring policies for people with disabilities.

For those wishing to write:
Email Contact Information:
Attorney General Austin Knudsen
contactdoj@mt.gov

Subject: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act

Model Letter:

Subject: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act
Dear Attorney General Austin Knudsen,
Please withdraw Montana from Texas v. Becerra. Such legal action attacking the civil rights of Montanans and others with disabilities is wrong, and Montana should have no part in the case.

My name is _________ _________. I am a member of the Montana Association for the Blind, helping other people experiencing blindness or low vision to live fully independent lives. The civil rights afforded to Americans with disabilities during the past fifty years make increased independence possible for all people experiencing a disability of any type. The Texas v. Becerra suit would effectively end all assurance of equal opportunity and fair treatment for myself and for those with disabilities.

We Montanans celebrate and highly value our independence. Please help all those experiencing any type of disability to enjoy the same rights and privileges of every Montana citizen regardless of limitation.

Thank you so much for your consideration of my request:

Sincerely Yours!
[Your name here]

Sincerely,
Doug Robinson, President
Montana Association for the Blind

If you wish to download the model letter, Click Here

The Montana Association for the Blind (MAB) is a 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization founded in 1947 to aid in the education, training, and support of individuals who are facing blindness and their families.

The mission of MAB is to promote the social and economic self-sufficiency of blind and low-vision Montanans through the facilitation of quality education, training, community, employment, and adaptive services, in addition to fostering a positive understanding of blindness. We envision a Montana in which blindness is understood to be an ordinary and respectable part of life and in which the skills and tools of blindness are readily available to all who may benefit from them.

If you want to become a member of the Montana Association for the Blind, please open this fillable form and send it by E-mail to: mabadmin@mabsop.org.

Open the MAB Membership Application Form 2025

* If form is not accessible pleaseClick Here for Accessible Membership Application

We work toward this goal by offering adaptive training programs, outreach and community, scholarships to blind college students, and programs that help individuals obtain the adaptive equipment they need. Our local chapters provide support, information, understanding and a sense of community to visually impaired people across the state, many in remote communities with zero access to blind services or community support. Our cornerstone program is our Summer Orientation Program for the Blind and Visually Impaired (SOP), an intensive independent-living training program that gives adults the skills they need to lead autonomous and satisfying lives after vision loss.

Stay Connected:

Volunteer. Donate. Review.