[DSM-Iowa] FW: Section XIII SSB 1123 and HSB 126

[bray at nfbi.org]

Below is the cover letter that we sent to both houses of the Iowa
Legislature. We have the easy part of this campaign behind us and now the
work begins. This letter is of course one more tool to use in planning your
contact with a legislator.

 

Bob 

 

 

From: bray at nfbi.org <mailto:bray at nfbi.org>  <bray at nfbi.org
<mailto:bray at nfbi.org> > 
Sent: Wednesday, March 1, 2023 9:17 PM
To: rjray at q.com <mailto:rjray at q.com> 
Subject: Re: Section XIII SSB 1123 and HSB 126
Importance: High

 

Re: Section XIII SSB 1123 and HSB 126

 

I am writing to you in my capacity as Legislative Chair for the National
Federation Of The Blind Of Iowa, (NFBI). We are the oldest and largest
organization of the blind in Iowa. We are blind Iowans and our friends. We
have worked with you on various pieces of legislation over the years.  This
time our concern is reorganization bills that both houses are currently
considering. We have a few thoughts for you on  the importance of removing
section XIII from this bill. Also, attached to this is a copy of a letter
showing the general position of the National Federation Of The Blind Of Iowa
on this bill.

 

First I would like to relate to you some history about programs for the
blind in Iowa. The programs at the Iowa Commission  For The Blind started to
change in 1958 when a blind person was hired as director of the Commission
for the Blind. He was a man who was confident that the average blind person
could do the average job in the average place of business, doing it as well
as his sighted neighbor, if offered the proper training. Within the next
year, new programs were started, creating new opportunities for blind
persons in Iowa. In 1960 the blind of Iowa came to the Iowa Legislature and
asked for the funding to purchase a building to house the services of the
Iowa Commission For The Blind and for funding to open a regional library for
the blind, a branch of the National Library Service for the Blind. in that
building. This library grew to be the largest library for the blind in the
World in less than five years. By the late sixties it produced more Braille
Books annually than all of the other libraries for the blind in the country
combined. It is still today recognized as one of the best libraries for the
blind in the nation.

 

Over the years as the programs at the Iowa Commission For The Blind, and
later the Iowa Department For the Blind needed funding for the programs, or
special funding to remodel the building that housed these programs, the
blind of Iowa came back to the Iowa Legislature and worked with legislators
to find the resources to accomplish what was needed. In the 1980s a
reorganization of State Government placed the Iowa Commission For The Blind
under an umbrella agency which was supposed to lower operating costs. The
blind of Iowa worked with Legislators to pull the agency for the blind back
out of a larger department so that programs could continue to achieve
success. While it was still legal to do so the blind of Iowa invited
Legislators to dinners and/or information fairs to show blind persons living
the lives they want. This has all been part of a very successful partnership
between the blind of Iowa and the Iowa Legislature. We have also worked with
the Legislature to change laws that improve the lives of blind Iowans and
make it possible for us to be first classed citizens of Iowa. 

 

All of the states that have had successful programs for the blind are states
that the agency for the blind is a separate, independent agency that can go
directly to the Governor and Legislature to ask for the needs of the agency
and be able to operate in such a way that the blind citizens may get the
services they want and need, not those that some one thinks they may need.

 

The programs at the Iowa Department For The Blind are successful not only
because of subjects they teach but the attitudes that they instill in their
clients. The true problem of blindness is not the physical loss of sight but
rather the public attitudes about it. A newly blinded person has these
negative attitudes about blindness because they are part of the public. 

 

. One of the reasons for going through this major reorganization effort is
to save tax dollars. In looking at this there are two views. First the short
term view is that cutting program costs saves tax dollars. The second and
more important one is if blind citizens of Iowa are not given the proper
training and helped to develop good attitudes about blindness they are less
likely to go out and get jobs and pay more taxes into the system.

 

We have enjoyed a great deal of success from the programs for the blind here
in Iowa because of the partnerships that we have had, and still have with
the Iowa Legislature. We hope that you will take a close look at what is
being proposed and help prevent programs for the blind in Iowa from going
backward and not forward.

 

If we can answer any questions for you or find information that may help you
understand our  position feel free to contact us at any time.

 

R. J. (Bob) Ray

Legislative Committee Chair

National Federation Of The Blind Of Iowa

email:  <mailto:bray at NFBI.org> bray at NFBI.org

phone: 515 334-7231

Address:

3900 76th Street

Urbandale, IA 50322

 

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