[NABS-L] Georgia Senate Passes Bill, Protecting The Rights Of Blind Parents – The Blind Advocate Blog

[Armando Vias]

https://theblindadvocate.wordpress.com/2019/03/30/georgia-senate-passes-bill-protecting-the-rights-of-blind-parents/

Georgia Senate Passes Bill, Protecting The Rights Of Blind Parents
Webmaster	March 30, 2019	Edit
Updated: 10:02 PM, March 30, 2019

Note: This article was suppose to be published yesterday, but due to formatting issues, the article has been republished to correct the formatting. If you have any questions about this article, please do not hesitate to contact me with any questions by clicking this link and choosing a specific email address.

On Thursday, March 28, 2019, members of the National Federation of the Blind of Georgia, (NFBGA), a state affiliate of the National Federation of the Blind, (NFB), the oldest and largest organization in the United States, was at the Georgia State Capitol in Atlanta, Georgia. The night before, members of the organization were encouraged to call their Senators and asked them to support HB79. HB79, as known as the parental rights bill for blind parents, protects them from being discriminated against by the courts, child-placing agencies, or Department of Human Services.

Below is a statement from Gaylon Tootle, First Vice President of the National Federation of the Blind of Georgia.

“Hello.

This is a great day for the NFBGA, as we have finally passed our parental rights bill for blind parents, commonly referred to as House Bill 79. This is a bill that we have been working on for quite a while, approximately two to three years, and our hard work has finally paid off. Shout out to all of my brothers and sisters in the struggle to simply show the people that all we would like to do is live the lives we want. We, as members in the NFB understand the fact that blindness is a characteristic that does not define us. It is just simply a part of who we are. We would like to give a special shout out to Representative Carl Gilliard, a representative from Savannah, Georgia, who sponsored the bill in the state house, and a shout out to Senator Mike Rhett, who sponsored and carried the bill in the state Senate. As I said, there was a lot of hard work. Everyone in the affiliate contributed to the success, Armando including you my brother. So pat yourself on the back. Everybody we need to give themselves a big hug because simply that’s what we do.

Congratulations team! Let’s continue to go out and build the Federation!”

The state Senate voted 49-2, and the bill is expected to go to the Governor’s desk for his signature before becoming law in the state. Below, you will find tweets related to the bill. Please stay tuned as this story will be updated with more information on the bill.



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Armando Vias
Student
Email: armando at theblindadvocate.com
Website: https://theblindadvocate.wordpress.com
Follow me on Twitter: https://www.twitter.com/theblndadvocate

"WE ARE THE NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND, AND WE CANNOT BE SHUT DOWN!"
-Mark A. Riccobono

"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. Together, with love, hope, and determination, we transform dreams into reality."
Website: www.nfb.org
Are you a blind student? Visit this website to learn about the National Association of Blind Students, (NABS), a division of the National Federation of the Blind.
https://nabslink.org
To find your student division, visit https://nabslink.org/content/contact-our-state-divisions

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