[IL-Talk] FW: Chicago Chapter Minutes, January 13, 2024
Debbie Pittman
debbiepittman99 at gmail.com
Mon Feb 5 19:06:19 UTC 2024
Wonderful minutes Debbie
Debbie P
Sent from my iPhone
> On Feb 5, 2024, at 10:17 AM, David Meyer via IL-Talk <il-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:
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> From: Deborah Kent Stein <dkent5817 at att.net>
> Sent: Monday, February 5, 2024 10:11 AM
> To: davant1958 at gmail.com
> Cc: datemeyer at sbcglobal.net; datemeyer at mysero.net
> Subject: FW: Chicago Chapter Minutes, January 13, 2024
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> Dear Denise and Dave,
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> I tried to post the Chicago Chapter minutes to IL-Talk and IABS-Talk
> yesterday and again this morning, but they’re not getting through. I just
> wrote to Dave Andrews asking for his help. In the meantime, please one of
> you post them for me. Thanks!
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> Debbie
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> From: Deborah Kent Stein [mailto:dkent5817 at att.net]
> Sent: Monday, February 5, 2024 10:03 AM
> To: 'NFB of Illinois Mailing List' <il-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Cc: 'Illinois Association of Blind Students List' <iabs-talk at nfbnet.org>
> Subject: Chicago Chapter Minutes, January 13, 2024
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> NFBI Chicago Chapter Minutes
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> January 13, 2024
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> CALL TO ORDER
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> The January meeting of the NFBI Chicago Chapter was held virtually over
> Zoom. Chapter President Denise Avant called the meeting to order at 1:02 PM.
> She commented that with Zoom at least people didn't have to brave the cold.
> She thanked everyone who participated in our Chicago Chapter auction in
> December, including those who donated items, set up the tables, and kept
> track of money.
>
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>
> INTRODUCTIONS
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> Dustin Cather and Patti Chang called on people to introduce themselves.
> Persons in attendance were Marilyn Green, Todd Lively, Melissa Fuller, Ken
> Schad, Pam Gillmore, Glenn Moore, Mary Lou Grunwald, Paul Shepherdson, Bart
> Hickey, Ken Borst, Abdelrahman Osman, Bill Reif, Chris Millsap, Dan Tevelde,
> Ed Birmingham, Eileen Truschke, first-timer Frederick Preet, Greg Rosenberg,
> John Holtgreve, Marco Giannotti, Michelle Ault, Bob Hansen, Gary Jones,
> Steve Hastalis, Sara Luna, Patti Chang, Gavid Meyer, and Bob Widman.
>
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> PROGRAM
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> Dustin Cather introduced the program, a discussion of Kyle Walls's article
> from the Braille Monitor on accessibility regulations under the ADA. On
> August 4, 2023, the Department of Justice published the ADA Title II Notice
> of Advanced Rule Making, NPRM. The new accessibility standard for online
> accessibility includes seven proposed exceptions. Among these exceptions are
> password-protected websites for students in public postsecondary
> institutions and class or course content on websites for students in public
> elementary or secondary schools. These rules would allow most online
> educational materials to be inaccessible. During the comments period many
> Federationists and others registered their deep concerns. We hope these
> exceptions will not go through!
>
>
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> WASHINGTON SEMINAR
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> Dustin reported that the Illinois team attending Washington Seminar will
> consist of Michelle Ault, Denise Avant, Dustin Cather, Abbu Elfaki, Kira
> O'Bradovitch, Dilip Shah, and Kaitlyn Ryan. The Great Gathering In will take
> place on January 29, and it will be live streamed for anyone who wants to
> listen. Illinois is unique in having training prior to Washington Seminar
> itself.
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> We will be presenting three legislative priorities to our members of
> Congress. The Website and Software Applications Accessibility Act, HR 5813
> and S 2984, would establish a comprehensive definition of accessibility to
> avoid confusion in the private and public sectors. It will establish a
> technical assistance center for covered entities, commercial providers, and
> people with disabilities, and it will direct the Department of Justice and
> the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to promulgate accessibility
> regulations.
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> The Medical Device Nonvisual Accessibility Act, HR 1328, will call on the
> Food and Drug Administration to come up with nonvisual accessibility
> regulations for all Class II and Class III medical devices with digital
> interfaces. Such devices include home pregnancy tests, COVID-19 tests, home
> dialysis machines, and much more. The act will require manufacturers to make
> devices nonvisually accessible and authorize enforcement by the FDA.
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> The Blind Americans Return to Work Act is not yet sponsored in the House or
> Senate. It would eliminate the earnings cliff for people receiving SSDI by
> instituting a ten-year pilot program to phase out benefits with earnings
> over the limit. It would create incentives for blind people receiving SSDI
> to earn more money, as they would be able to keep their benefits.
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> Dustin encouraged everyone to visit nfb.org/washington-seminar to learn more
> about the issues we will cover. Right now HR 1328 has fifty-two cosponsors,
> five of them from Illinois. The bill was introduced by Jan Schakowski;
> cosponsors are Mike Quigley, Sean Casten, Jesús García, Danny Davis, and
> Raja Krishnamoorthi. HR 5813 has two cosponsors, and S 2984, introduced by
> Sen. Tammy Duckworth, has five cosponsors.
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> We also are seeking cosponsors for S. 533, the Transformation to Competitive
> and Integrated Employment Act. So far it has one sponsor. The companion bill
> in the House is HR. 1263, with twenty-six cosponsors, including Robin Kelly
> and Mike Quigley from Illinois. The Access Technology Affordability Act, HR
> 3702, has seventy-three cosponsors, four of them from Illinois: Mike Bost,
> Mike Quigley, Brad Schneider, for Jan Schakowsky. The Senate companion bill
> is S. 1467.
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> Denise added that even though we will not be promoting HR. 3702 at
> Washington Seminar, we should make calls and urge our representatives to
> sign back on. At one time fifteen of our seventeen representatives had
> signed on. Right now we have only five.
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> TREASURER'S REPORT
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> Chapter Treasurer Kira O'Bradovitch delivered the Fourth Quarter
> Treasurer's Report for 2023. The report covered October through December.
> The opening balance was $3,689.59. Fourth-quarter income was $1,115 from the
> Read-a-Thon, $192.75 from the Beggars Pizza fundraiser, and $1,875 from the
> holiday auction, for a sum total of $3,182.75. We also brought in $155 in
> dues from new and renewing members. We received $150 in donations and $10
> for cane tips, for a total of $160. We brought in $223 in the collections in
> November and December. Altogether our fourth quarter income was $3,720.75.
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> Total expenses for the fourth quarter came to $2,218.43. These included
> donations of $50 toward the IABS door prizes and three monthly payments of
> $50 each to the NFB. We spent $39.69 for copies and $58.74 for
> transportation to events for individuals. We ended the fourth quarter with
> $2,196.90 in the treasury. Due to some additional expenses in January, the
> treasury now has $1,656.90. Ken moved and Marilyn seconded acceptance of the
> report. The report was approved unanimously.
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> ADVOCACY COMMITTEE
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> Kira reported that the Advocacy Committee is trying to make sure that the
> CTA Advisory Committee will take our concerns seriously. The committee
> encouraged members and the public to be aware of our concerns about signage
> and announcements.
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> MEETING SPACE
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> Denise said that we are still looking for a place to meet in 2024. We need
> to pay our donation of $250 for the museum project.
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> PRESIDENTIAL RELEASE
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> Presidential Release 534 was recorded on January 4, which is World Braille
> Day, commemorating the birth of Louis Braille in 2009. Braille is a great
> example of empowerment through alternative techniques. Check out braille.day
> for a sampling of 215 ways Braille can be used.
>
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> Thirty years ago the NFB affiliated with training programs that exemplify
> the philosophy, spirit, and policies of the Federation. Our training centers
> in Louisiana, Colorado, and Minnesota are affiliated with the national
> organization but are run by independent boards of directors. In December the
> board of BLIND, Inc., in Minnesota announced that all programs will be
> discontinued in January 2024. The board hopes to reimagine and redesign the
> program to open again in the future. Millions of dollars are needed to care
> for the Pillsbury Mansion where the program is held. This is the first time
> one of our centers has had to close. Federationists are encouraged to share
> ideas by contacting Ryan Strunk at boardchair at blindinc.org
> <mailto:boardchair at blindinc.org> .
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> In 2015 the NFB supported blind workers in Ohio who were being paid
> subminimum wages under a 14C certificate. In 2016 the plaintiffs were
> awarded back pay and damages. The workshop appealed and filed a federal
> lawsuit, seeking judicial review. The district court found in the clients'
> favor to cover the workers' back pay. This sets an important tone for
> workshops that use 14C certificates.
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> Factsheets for Washington Seminar are available in multiple formats at
> nfb.org-washington-seminar.
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> Over many years we have raised concerns about the Cogswell and Macy Act,
> which was just reintroduced in Congress. We just sent a letter to leaders in
> Congress outlining our concerns about this bill. It attempts to amend IDEA
> by adding new sections that weaken the Braille presumption and fails to
> leverage our Dear Colleague letters. To learn more, contact Justin Young at
> jyoung at nfb.org <mailto:jyoung at nfb.org> or extension 2210 at the national
> office.
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> STATE PRESIDENT'S REPORT
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> NFBI President Marilyn Green reminded everyone that Washington Seminar will
> take place the week of January 29. Information about our state board meeting
> will be sent out shortly. Applications for national and state scholarships
> are now open. National scholarship applications are available at
> nfb.org/scholarships, and Illinois scholarship applications are at
> nfbofillinois.org/scholarships. Nationally we will award thirty scholarships
> of $8000 each) We will award at least one NFBI scholarship of $5000.
>
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> The NFBI committee list went out on January 1. If you wish to be dropped
> from or added to a committee, contact Marilyn at president at nfbofillinois.org
> <mailto:president at nfbofillinois.org> .
>
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> Locations for our BELL programs are all set. Springfield BELL will run July
> 15-19 and Chicago BELL will run July 22 to August 2. Contact Debbie Stein if
> you would like to volunteer.
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> National Convention runs from July 3 through 8. Call 407-996-9840 to make
> hotel reservations.
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> SECRETARY'S MINUTES
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> The Chicago Chapter minutes, with corrections, were posted on IL-Talk and
> NFB Newsline. Robert Hansen moved to approve the minutes, and Eileen Truske
> seconded the motion. The minutes were approved unanimously.
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> FUNDRAISING COMMITTEE
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> Dave Meyer said the committee will meet at 7 on February 27. He will send
> out information and the Zoom link.
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> MEETING SPACE
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> Denise announced that our February meeting will take place on Zoom, as we
> are still searching for a meeting place. We would like to return to our
> hybrid meetings as soon as possible.
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> ADJOURNMENT
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> Bill Reif moved to adjourn, and Dave Meyer seconded. The meeting adjourned
> at 2:52 PM.
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> Respectfully submitted,
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> Debbie Stein, Secretary
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