The official policies of the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania are established every year with annual resolutions adopted at the state convention.
The resolutions committee meets early during the convention. Each proposed resolution is read, spoken for by the authoring member, considered, and then ultimately withdrawn or recommended for passage or disapproval by the Convention.
Resolution 1999-02: Regarding Bureau of Blind & Visual Services funding for blind post-secondary education
WHEREAS, the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services has been absorbed into the Department of Labor and Industry’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, rather than being established as an independent commission for the blind as sought by the blind community, and the control of funding has been assigned to the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation; and
WHEREAS, a committee was established and a meeting held to discuss changes to the policies of the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services; and
WHEREAS, among the policies considered at that meeting was the maximum amount to be spent on college training for blind persons and the services that would be included in such funding; and
WHEREAS, the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services previously spent more to send blind persons to college than the amounts permitted by the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation and it appears that every effort will be made by the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation to reduce the amount spent for such purposes; and
WHEREAS, the general vocational rehabilitation agency spends more to send disabled clients to trade schools on a per diem basis than to send persons to college; and
WHEREAS, given the difficulties of admission to trade schools and the anticipated difficulties locating jobs in such trades, many blind persons use college as a more desirable career path; and
WHEREAS, to reduce the amount spent to assist in college training would severely damage many blind persons; and
WHEREAS, in addition to restricting the amounts paid for college training for those blind persons just entering college, it appears almost certain that blind persons already in college will have the new financial restrictions applied to them; and, we believe that the Individual Plan for Employment constitutes a contract between the agency and the consumer and to change the terms of that contract is illegal: Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania in convention assembled this 14th day of November, 1999, in the city of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, that we abhor any attempt to reduce funding for blind college students and call upon the administrators of the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, and the Department of Labor and Industry, to cease any attempt to reduce funding of college training for blind persons; and we call upon elected government officials to aid blind constituents in Pennsylvania in maintaining the level of funding which currently exists; and,
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization take any indicated legal action to prevent a breech of contract and financial harm to existing college students.
Resolution 1999-03: Regarding Pennsylvania Associations for the Blind
WHEREAS, “Associations for the Blind” in the state of Pennsylvania have traditionally been contracted by the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services to provide prevention of blindness services to eligible Pennsylvanians; and
WHEREAS, the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services has been absorbed into the Department of Labor and Industry’s Office of Vocational Rehabilitation, rather than being established as an independent commission for the blind, a structure long fought for by the blind community; and
WHEREAS, it is our belief that an agency of and/or for the blind is best qualified to perform such services because of a better understanding of the nature and consequences of loss of vision and/or blindness as a disability and can deliver such services in a manner which is not stereotypical of society’s misunderstanding of blindness; and
WHEREAS, it is our understanding that this service is currently being placed out on bid with companies that have nothing at all to do with prevention of blindness services or ocular health; and
WHEREAS, the bidding process has the potential of awarding the contract to the lowest bidder even though that provider may have little or no knowledge of the consequences of visual loss and may have extremely undesirable views about blindness which can lead to the failure to properly refer individuals for desperately needed help: Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania in convention assembled this 14th day of November, 1999, in the city of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, that the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation discontinue the solicitation of bids and enter into direct negotiation with the Pennsylvania Associations for the Blind to continue and improve the existing prevention of blindness services; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call upon the Office of Vocational Rehabilitation to consult with the leadership of the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania before awarding or discontinuing any contracts involving services affecting the blind or visually impaired or the Bureau of Blindness and Visual Services.
Resolution 1999-04: Regarding Pennsylvania Electrichoice Program’s Website
WHEREAS, accessability to web pages is becoming increasingly difficult for blind persons; and
WHEREAS, such difficulties can be created unintentionally by web page designers who have not considered the fact that web pages should be accessible to all persons including those using screen readers; and
WHEREAS, the designers of the Electrichoice web page have considered the accessability needs of blind Pennsylvanians when designing the Electrichoice web site; Now, therefore,
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania in convention assembled this 14th day of November, 1999, in the city of Wilkes-Barre, Pennsylvania, that the Pennsylvania Electrichoice program be commended for their efforts in learning the needs of blind computer users and assuring that these needs are met through the proper design of the Electrichoice web page.