2005 Resolutions

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 Each proposed resolution is read, spoken for by the authoring member, considered, and then ultimately withdrawn or recommended for passage or disapproval by the Convention.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 2005-01: Regarding Commendation of Senator Jake Corman

Whereas, Blind persons have never previously enjoyed the ability to access written news publications, until the invention of the Newsline program; and

Whereas, The National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania sought to provide equal access to daily newspapers for blind and visually impaired residents of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and

Whereas, legislation to provide this access, known as “the Print Media Access For The Blind Act” (S.B. 79), was introduced into the Senate of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania; and

WHEREAS, Senator Jake Corman, as the Chairman of the Telecommunications Committee, met with members of the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania, tested the service and immediately caused the Print Media Access bill to be moved out of that Committee with a positive recommendation for its passage; and

Whereas, His initiative has made it possible for all blind citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania to have access to more than eight Pennsylvania newspapers, and over two-hundred other daily publications from across the Country, thus contributing to the improved literacy of the blind; and

Whereas, This display of leadership by Senator Corman clearly demonstrates that he is a partner and advocate for the blind in the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania State Senate; Now, THEREFORE,

BE IT RESOLVED, By the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania in convention assembled this twelfth day of November, 2005 in the city of State College, Pennsylvania, that Senator Jake Corman be commended for his outstanding leadership in the passage of Senate Bill 79, the Print Media Access for the Blind Bill originally introduced by Senator Hal Mallory, and that Senator Corman be further recognized for helping to make it possible for blind people in Pennsylvania to enjoy on-going access to the daily news; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, That Senator Jake Corman be recognized as a friend of the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania for his dedication and commitment to the blind citizens of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania.

Resolution 2005-02: Regarding Bureau of Blindness & Visual Services

Whereas, The Office of Vocational Rehabilitation (OVR) has a history of implementing policies that are illegal under the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, and in particular their College Training Policy of 2004; and

Whereas, OVR, and the Bureau of Blindness & Visual Services (BBVS), also has a history of improper application of their legal policies depending upon the District in which the policies are being applied; and

Whereas, Both the implementation of illegal policies and the improper application of legal policies adversely affect, or even prevent, the ability of blind people to obtain their vocational goals; NOW, THEREFORE

BE IT RESOLVED, By the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania, in Convention assembled this thirteenth day of November, 2005, in the City of State College, Pennsylvania, That this Organization does condemn and deplore OVR/BBVS for its illegal actions and improper application of legal policies; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED; That the National Federation of the Blind of Pennsylvania demands that OVR/BBVS develop standardized training for its employees regarding the implementation of only those legal policies consistent with the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 as amended, thus ensuring that blind people receive all services to which they are entitled, such that they are not hindered in, or prevented from, achieving successful Vocational Rehabilitation outcomes.