[nagdu] Fw: [buddy-l] A very bad legislative effort

Albert J Rizzi albert at myblindspot.org
Fri Dec 25 15:39:23 UTC 2009


well, then maybe the word certified should be removed, and just leave
trainers, or perhaps, add those individuals training service animals so as
to support the animals ability to provide complete and safe service for the
handler.  I do agree with the purpose behind including protections for those
who train guides, because as it reads, it seems to imply only those who use
service animals, not the trainers. Would you not agree that it is important
to afford service animals in training and their trainers equal access and
proper public accommodations? Seems like all are concerned about the
verbiage certified? 

Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
CEO/Founder
My Blind Spot, Inc.
90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
New York, New York  10004
www.myblindspot.org
PH: 917-553-0347
Fax: 212-858-5759
"The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
doing it."


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-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Cindy Ray
Sent: Friday, December 25, 2009 9:34 AM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fw: [buddy-l] A very bad legislative effort

Albert, how are you going to account for the folk who are not certified but 
who do a very fine job of training their own service animals; where would 
such legislation end as it sought to "protect" someone?

CL

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Albert J Rizzi" <albert at myblindspot.org>
To: "'NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users'" 
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Friday, December 25, 2009 8:22 AM
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fw: [buddy-l] A very bad legislative effort


Steve,

While I can understand your fear of how this legislation could limit rights,
I am inclined it to feel that it is designed to further protect and ensure
access.  On a number of occasions people who volunteer their time, to train
and indoctrinate guides into everyday life are denied access in many places
as they work to integrate dogs into public arenas.  These are not certified
professionals, by any means, but I could see where further access
protections need to be ensured.  It is the word certified which causes alarm
I would guess.  I never knew that anyone inclined to do so could train a dog
as a guide and not be questioned about their qualifications to do so.  When
I read this it speaks of affording more protection and access, but when I
hear your position, I see a slightly different concern as presented.  How
would you suggest exercising the legislation properly to allow protections
to trainers and others working with service dogs, if in fact the law as it
stands does not afford that option?

Albert J. Rizzi, M.Ed.
CEO/Founder
My Blind Spot, Inc.
90 Broad Street - 18th Fl.
New York, New York  10004
www.myblindspot.org
PH: 917-553-0347
Fax: 212-858-5759
"The person who says it cannot be done, shouldn't interrupt the one who is
doing it."


Visit us on Facebook LinkedIn


-----Original Message-----
From: nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf
Of Steve Johnson
Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2009 5:53 PM
To: NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users
Subject: Re: [nagdu] Fw: [buddy-l] A very bad legislative effort

Hi Sherri,

A great segway into a lively discussion I would surmise?

I do have a couple of thoughts.

1.  A number of formal schools that train animals i.e. primarily dog guides,

have worked very hard to establish relationships with their
communities that they have a strong presence in, thus already allowing such
access.
2.  Is this not potentially narrowing the coverage of the ADA by only
allowing "certified" individuals to have access?  This goes against the law
as it currently stands in specifically covering self-trained animals.
3.  The whole issue of certification is an issue that has been discussed and
debated at nauseum, but too would potentially narrow the definition of the
ADA as it currently stands as those who choose to self-train are most
certainly treated differently in this proposed legislation.

I can tell you as a resident of Wisconsin, allowance of service animals in
training to access places of public accommodation is already written into
our laws as of 2006 I believe, regardless, it is fairly recent.

I believe that this Federal proposal has the
potential to narrow the scope of who would be allowed to access places of
public accommodation in that of being only certified trainers is, through my
understanding of the ADA, discriminatory.

Most of our professional dog guide schools, and I will specifically focus on
us, do have a great relationship in the communities that they are centered
around.  I am wondering if this might be stemming from other service animal
access issues outside of the dog guide realm?  I guess there are a lot of
things we don't know about this legislation.

Oh yeh, did you see that there is also an effort to repeal the provision in
the Air Carrier act that requires a 48 hour notice for psychiatric service
animals  scheduled for flights longer than 8 hours?  Another topic that has
potential to be rather interesting on the discussion front.


Thanks for sharing this though, I had definitely not seen it yet.

again, this is just my immediate opinion which is always subject to change.

Steve

----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Sherri" <flmom2006 at gmail.com>
To: "NAGDU Mailing List,the National Association of Guide Dog Users"
<nagdu at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2009 1:12 PM
Subject: [nagdu] Fw: [buddy-l] A very bad legislative effort


>I don't know if this has already shown up on the list. If so, forgive the
>forward. If not, what does everyone think?
>
> Sherri
> ----- Original Message ----- 
> From: William Stephan
> Sent: Thursday, December 24, 2009 1:52 PM
> Subject: [buddy-l] A very bad legislative effort
>
>
>
> All: It's true that not much surprises me these days in terms of what
> Congress does, but this is spectacularly bad at a whole bunch of
> levels.Hopefully, GDUIand NAGDU will do the right thing and oppose this
> vigorously
>
> To amend the Americans with Disabilities Act to require that the same
> access
> to transportation and public accommodations be afforded to certified
> trainers of service animals as is afforded... (Introduced in House)
>
> HR 4378 IH
>
> 111th CONGRESS
>
> 1st Session
>
> H. R. 4378
>
> To amend the Americans with Disabilities Act to require that the same
> access
> to transportation and public accommodations be afforded to certified
> trainers of service animals as is afforded under such Act to individuals
> with disabilities who use such service animals.
>
> IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
>
> December 16, 2009
>
> Mr. KISSELL introduced the following bill; which was referred to the
> Committee on Transportation and Infrastructure, and in addition to the
> Committee on the Judiciary, for a period to be subsequently determined by
> the Speaker, in each case for consideration of such provisions as fall
> within the jurisdiction of the committee concerned
>
> _____
>
> A BILL
>
> To amend the Americans with Disabilities Act to require that the same
> access
> to transportation and public accommodations be afforded to certified
> trainers of service animals as is afforded under such Act to individuals
> with disabilities who use such service animals.
>
> Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the United
> States of America in Congress assembled,
>
> SECTION 1. ACCESS TO CERTIFIED TRAINERS OF SERVICE ANIMALS.
>
> Title V of the Americans with Disabilities Act is amended by adding at the
> end the following new section:
>
> `SEC. 515. RIGHTS OF CERTIFIED TRAINERS OF SERVICE ANIMALS.
>
> `(a) Protections Afforded- A licensed or certified trainer of a service
> animal, or a handler of such animal that has credentials issued by an
> accredited school for training service animals, when accompanied by such
> service animal, shall be afforded the same right of access to public
> transportation, public accommodations, and transportation services
> provided
> by private entities as is afforded under titles II and III of this Act to
> individuals with disabilities who use service animals. It shall be
> discriminatory under this Act to afford such a trainer , when accompanied
> by
> a service animal, with any service, facility, privilege, advantage, or
> accommodation that is not equal to that afforded to other individuals.
>
> `(b) Definition of Service Animal- As used in this section, the term
> `service animal' means a guide dog, signal dog, or other animal
> individually
> trained or being trained to provide assistance to an individual with a
> disability, regardless of whether such animal has been licensed or
> certified
> by a State or local government.
>
> `(c) Authority To Revise Regulations- The Secretary of Transportation and
> the Attorney General shall each revise regulations issued under this Act
> as
> necessary to carry out this section.'.
>
> _____
>
> [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]
>
>
>
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