NFBC 2004 Convention Report


Resolution 04-01: California Performance Review

WHEREAS, The California Performance Review team has recommended that the California Department of Rehabilitation be merged into a "Mega-department" such as Labor, Education or Health and Human Services; and

WHEREAS, the Department of Rehabilitation is a relatively small, very specialized service unit within State Government; and

WHEREAS, rehabilitation services for disabled clients would lose visibility and, most likely, capability to serve the disabled in such a Mega-department; and

WHEREAS, rehabilitation services have already suffered by attempts to squeeze them into "workforce initiatives" and into "one-stop employment/training centers"—entities knowing nothing about serving disabled individuals:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of California meeting in convention assembled this 24th day of October, 2004 in the city of Irvine, California that this Organization urge Governor Schwarzenegger to carefully consider the very special nature and mission of the Department of Rehabilitation before recommending any legislation to move the Department out of Health and Human Services; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this Federation call upon Governor Schwarzenegger to work with the Officers and Representatives of the National Federation of the Blind of California in seeking the optimum organizational position within State Government for the Department of Rehabilitation.


Resolution 04-02: Attorney-General Support

WHEREAS, the NFB of California has had legislation passed mandating accessible Transit Authority ticket machines and accessible point-of-sale (POS) machines; and

WHEREAS, the California Attorney-General's office has contacted us concerning enforcement of these legislative measures; and

WHEREAS, while talking with the representative in the Attorney-General's office, we told him of other inaccessible machines, such as state lottery machines, hotel check-in kiosks, and others; and

WHEREAS, this AG representative expressed interest in working with the NFB of California in all areas of machine inaccessibility:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of California meeting in convention assembled this 24th day of October, 2004 in the city of Irvine, California that this organization commend members of the Attorney-General's staff for their interest in working with representatives of the NFB of California to increase the accessibility to the blind of automated machines for ticketing and for other functions; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call upon the officers and other representatives of the NFB of California to follow up with members of the Attorney-General's staff in efforts to make more public use machines accessible to the blind of our State.


Resolution 04-03: Braille is Beautiful

WHEREAS, the Braille is Beautiful program of the National Federation of the Blind of California has played a vital part in informing hundreds of parents of blind children of the importance of Braille for their children; and

WHEREAS, each Braille is Beautiful session has been oversubscribed by local parents of blind children; and

WHEREAS, parents attending Braille is Beautiful sessions have been most enthusiastic to learn of the right to learn Braille of their children and to have the opportunity to learn the elements of Braille; and

WHEREAS, NFBC President Burns has been quite successful thus far in obtaining grants to finance our Braille is Beautiful sessions; and

WHEREAS, it is the desire of the members of the NFB of California to emphasize through this resolution our support for our Braille is Beautiful program:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of California meeting in convention assembled this 24th day of October, 2004 in the city of Irvine, California that this organization commend President Burns and her Braille is Beautiful presenters for their efforts and that we urge that further funding be sought to continue this vital program.


Resolution 04-04: Ryan Spencer

WHEREAS, in the year 2002, the National Federation of the Blind of California recognized the inaccessibility of touch screen public transportation ticketing machine terminals by the blind and the increasing need for non-visual access to these machines; and

WHEREAS, the NFBC went to the California state legislature to pursue legislation to address this growing concern; and

WHEREAS, Ryan Spencer, aid to Assemblymember Dutra, Chair of Assembly Transportation Committee, saw the importance of such legislation; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Spencer pursued the drafting of such legislation and took the issue to Assemblymember Dutra which resulted in the authoring of AB-467; and WHEREAS, Mr. Spencer collaborated with the Department of Transportation, BART, and MTA, forming a partnership with the NFBC to draft workable and unopposed language which resulted in the successful passage of AB-467 without opposition; and

WHEREAS, Governor Gray Davis signed AB-467 into law in June of 2003, allowing blind and visually impaired residents in the state of California to purchase tickets independently; and

WHEREAS, the NFBC returned to Assemblymember Dutra’s office with draft legislation proposing non-visual access to point-of-sale (POS) machines; and

WHEREAS, Mr. Spencer once again realized the importance and need for such legislation and effectively worked with this organization to counter major opposition to its passage:

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED: that the National Federation of the Blind of California, assembled in convention this 23rd day of October, 2004 in Irvine, California, recognizes and commends the professional manner in which Mr. Spencer worked with this organization and brought this legislation to a successful conclusion resulting in new laws benefiting the blind and visually impaired.