[MD-AtLarge] Meeting Announcement and MInutes

[nfbmd]

Hello all,
 
Get ready for the next meeting of the At-Large Chapter on Tuesday, February
21.  The National President's message will be played at 7:30 and the meeting
begins at 8 pm.  We have a special guest, Jerry Price, who is the access
technology specialist at LBPH.   Jerry will be discussing the technology
user group plans and activities.  He will also be able to answer questions
that you may have about access technologies.  Don't forget to send in your
dues.  
For your convenience the call in number is 641-715-3272, the access code is
720125.  Please read the minutes below.
 
At Large Chapter Meeting Minutes for January 17, 2017
 
7:40 Presidential Release was played 
 
National Convention 
July 10th through 15th 2017
Rosen Shingle Creek Hotel in Orlando Florida 
Single and doubles $83 and triples and quads $89 
 
Meeting started at 8:05 by Sharon Maneki
Approximately 15 members on call 
 
Please pay your Dues for the At Large Chapter either by sending them to
Sharon Maneki or by Pay Pal found on the NFB MD website.  Sharon's address
is below: 
 
Sharon Maneki 
9013 Nelson Way 
Columbia, MD 21045 
 
Going to Annapolis on Thursday, January 19th 
Speaking on the following three items: 
1.  Strengthening Nonvisual Access Procurement Requirements
THE PROBLEM
Maryland has excellent laws that require state government agencies to make
information and communication technology (ICT) and technology services, such
as websites, accessible to the blind.  Unfortunately, these laws are poorly
enforced and sometimes ignored altogether.  Consequently, blind citizens are
denied access to information that is available to the rest of the public.
Blind employees are often ineffective at their jobs because they do not have
nonvisually accessible tools to do their work.
  
PROPOSED ACTION
In 1998 and 2000, legislation was enacted that incorporated nonvisual access
requirements into the procurement process.  The Maryland General Assembly
should now strengthen these laws by assigning responsibility for their
enforcement to an Access Technology Officer; by establishing penalties for
noncompliance by vendors; and by updating the 2000 law to reflect changes in
current technology.  
 
2.  Appropriation for the Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Access (CENA) to
Education, Public Information, and Commerce
 
PROPOSED ACTION:  The Maryland General Assembly should keep the $250,000
appropriation in the Governor's Budget for the CENA to Education, Public
Information, and Commerce.  
 
3.  Moving the Maryland State Library for the Blind and Physically
Handicapped (LBPH) out of the Maryland State Department of Education
 
THE PROBLEM:  LBPH is part of the Division of Library Development and
Services (DLDS), which is organized within the Maryland State Department of
Education (MSDE). As a part of MSDE, LBPH cannot operate properly because it
occupies an insignificant position within this large bureaucracy. Because of
the low priorities that MSDE assigns to LBPH, LBPH is unable to support
blind children in their development of literacy skills. LBPH is unable to
properly serve blind adults in their need to obtain information about
careers and other aspects of community life. Furthermore, LBPH is unable to
adequately lend a helping hand to blind seniors who are losing vision and
they have few opportunities to continue their life-long habits of reading. 
 
PROPOSED ACTION:  The Maryland General Assembly should enact legislation to
create a new entity in the executive branch of state government, the
Maryland State Library, which will be responsible for LBPH and other
functions currently performed by DLDS.
 
Guest Speaker for the night was Anil Lewis, Executive Director of the
Jernigan Institute 
He spoke about his blindness, when he first found the NFB, chapter president
in Georgia, Affiliate President of Georgia, and his present job in the NFB 
 
Meeting adjourned at 9:10 Pm 
 
 
Sharon Maneki, President
National Federation of the Blind of Maryland
410-715-9596
The National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not the
characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the
expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles
between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want;
blindness is not what holds you back.
 
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