Joint NFBI & ICUB Letter to Attorney General Bird Regarding Texas V. Kennedy Lawsuit

April 11, 2025

Office of the Attorney General of Iowa
Hoover State Office Building
1305 E. Walnut Street
Des Moines IA 50319

Dear Attorney General Bird,

We are writing to you on behalf of blind Iowans to request that you withdraw Iowa from the case Texas v. Kennedy. This lawsuit is an attack on important protections for blind Iowans since Section 504 prohibits discrimination in so many programs that we access on a daily basis including in educational and medical settings.

The National Federation of the Blind of Iowa (NFBI) and the Iowa Council of the United Blind (ICUB) have long been dedicated to improving the lives of blind individuals in our state. Our organizations have a rich history of advocacy and support, working to ensure equal opportunities and the protection of the rights of our members and all blind Iowans. Our members, who are spread across the state, are employed in a wide range of professions, attend every kind of school, and live in communities of all sizes. Anti-discrimination protections like those of Section 504 allow our members to contribute to our state alongside our fellow Iowans.

Your office has stated that the lawsuit is only related to the inclusion of gender dysphoria as a disability, and that it has no impact on other people with disabilities. However, count 3 in the Claims For Relief section of the lawsuit specifically requests that the court declare section 504 unconstitutional.

We strongly urge you to continue protecting the rights of blind Iowans rather than attacking a statute that has protected us for more than fifty years. The statute has contributed both culturally and economically by assisting thousands of disabled Iowans by allowing them to participate in society and the work force while reducing their dependence on governmental support. The statute has provided a major financial boon to the entire Iowa and United States economy.

If there is a concern with one aspect of the law, work on that. Do not throw out the baby with the bath water.

Thank you very much for your consideration.

Hy-Vee Pharmacies Now Offer Talking Prescription Labels in 26 Languages

Hy-Vee Pharmacies Now Offer Talking Prescription Labels in 26 Languages to Assist Visually- and Print-Impaired Patients. The talking prescription labels are free to Hy-Vee Pharmacy patients.

WEST DES MOINES, Iowa (Dec. 17, 2021) — Hy-Vee, Inc. announces today that talking prescription labels are now available in 26 languages to visually- and print-impaired patients at Hy-Vee’s more than 275 Hy-Vee Pharmacy locations.

The talking prescription labels are available through Hy-Vee’s partnership with En-Vision America and are free to Hy-Vee Pharmacy patients. Using En-Vision America’s ScripTalk product, Hy-Vee pharmacists are able to program and place a small electronic tag on the prescription package, typically located on the bottom of the bottle. The tag contains all of the prescription label information. By scanning the label with either a ScripTalk reader (provided to each patient at no cost) or the free ScripTalk mobile app, patients can have all of their information read aloud. This information includes drug name, dosage, instructions, warnings, pharmacy information, doctor’s name, prescription number, date and more. ScripTalk can assist patients with low vision, blindness, dyslexia or other reading disabilities.

In addition to English, the talking prescription labels can be translated to 25 other languages upon request. Patients who request this option will receive large-print dual-language prescription labels that feature a high contrast font in English, as well as a translation from one of the 25 other languages. These labels can also be read aloud in the selected language via the free ScripTalk reader or free ScripTalk mobile app. View the complete list of available languages below.

"We are on a mission to make health care services more accessible for our patients," said Kristin Williams, executive vice president and chief health officer for Hy-Vee. "Through our partnership with En-Vision America, we now offer a solution to help improve the health outcomes for our visually- and print-impaired patients, along with our non-English speaking patients who often face language barriers to health care."

"At En-Vision America, patient safety is paramount. For individuals who have trouble reading their prescription labels, the dangers of mistakes and hospitalizations are real," said David Raistrick, president of En-Vision America. "We’re very excited to partner with Hy-Vee — a company that recognizes the need to bolster medication safety and independence for patients with print impairments or speak English as a second language."

To enroll in ScripTalk’s talking prescription labels program, Hy-Vee Pharmacy patients should contact their local Hy-Vee Pharmacy.

Languages available via ScripTalk talking prescription labels at Hy-Vee:

• Amharic
• Arabic
• Bengali
• Burmese
• Chinese (simplified)
• Chinese (traditional)
• English
• Farsi
• French
• German
• Greek
• Haitian
• Creole
• Hindi
• Italian
• Korean
• Nepali
• Pashtu
• Polish
• Portuguese
• Romanian
• Russian
• Somali
• Spanish
• Swahili
• Tagalog
• Vietnamese

Hy-Vee, Inc. is an employee-owned corporation operating more than 285 retail stores across eight Midwestern states with sales of more than $12 billion annually. The supermarket chain is synonymous with quality, variety, convenience, healthy lifestyles, culinary expertise and superior customer service. Hy-Vee ranks in the Top 10 Most Trusted Brands and has been named one of America’s Top 3 favorite grocery stores. The company’s more than 91,000 employees provide “A Helpful Smile in Every Aisle” to customers every day. For additional information, visit www.hy-vee.com.

En-Vision America is a company providing high-tech products aimed at solving problems for those with visual impairments. ScriptAbility is our suite of accessible prescription labels, including ScripTalk Talking Labels, Large Print ScriptView Labels, Dual Language ScriptView Labels, Braille Labels and Controlled Substance Safety Labels (CSSL). Originally founded by Philip C. and David B. Raistrick in 1996, the cornerstone of the company is based on one single premise: To provide those with disabilities equal access and greater independence through technology. Today, more than 20,000 individuals are using ScripTalk. For additional information, visit www.envisionamerica.com.

For media inquiries, email Jenna Reed at jreed@envisionamerica.com.