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2025 Session

Budget Amendments - HB1600 (Member Request)

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Chief Patron: Willett
Expansion of Virginia Voice Reading Services

Item 339 #1h

Item 339 #1h

 First Year - FY2025 Second Year - FY2026
Health and Human Resources
Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired FY2025 $0 FY2026 $20,000 GF

Language
Page 455, line 44, strike "$1,425,674" and insert "$1,445,674".

Page 455, line 49, before "Out" insert "A."

Page 455, after line 51, insert:

"B.1. Out of this appropriation, $20,000 from the general fund the second year shall be provided to expand radio reading services to individuals with vision impairments to the Southwest Virginia region.  Funding shall be used to purchase barix boxes, subcarriers receivers and hands free audio speakers.

2.  The Department of the Blind and Vision Impaired shall assess the usage of each radio reading service across the Commonwealth by evaluating the number of listeners each service reaches, utilizing available technology to track and measure audience engagement effectively, and to distribute funding to each service based on the number of listeners."

Explanation

(This amendment provides $20,000 from the general fund the second year to expand Virginia Voice, the Richmond-based radio reading services for individuals with vision impairments to the Southwest Virginia region, enabling access to these critical services. Funding will be used to purchase new equipment including hands free audio speakers to provide to listeners in the new region. The amendment also includes language to require the Department of the Blind and Vision Impaired to assess the usage of each radio reading service by evaluating the number of listeners each service reaches, utilizing available technology to track and measure audience engagement effectively and distribute funding to each service based on the number of listeners.)

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