[nagdu] Resolution Concerning Service Animals
Passle Helminski
passle at roadrunner.com
Wed Jun 30 02:07:47 UTC 2010
Well done, Marion. Passle
>Dear All,
> Pasted below and attached to this message is
>a resolution we will present at the 2010 annual
>meeting of the National Association of Guide Dog
>Users and to the general assembly. Please take
>the time to read this resolution and ask any
>questions you may have. The membership will be
>asked to vote on endorsing this resolution
>before it is presented to the entire convention.
>
>fraternally yours,
>Marion Gwizdala, President
>National Association of Guide Dog Users
>National Federation of the Blind
>813-626-2789
>Blind411 at Verizon.net
>
>
>
>RESOLUTION 2010-XX
>
>Regarding Civil Rights Protection of Blind Persons
>
>and Their Service Animals in Public Accommodations
>
>Proponent: Marion Gwizdala
>
>
>
>
>
>WHEREAS, the purpose of the National Federation
>of the Blind is "the removal of the legal,
>social, and economic barriers faced by the
>blind" so that we will achieve "full integration
>into society on terms of equality"; and
>
>
>
>WHEREAS, discrimination by places of public
>accommodation is one of the barriers faced by
>the blind, especially among those who choose to
>use a guide dog as their mobility tool; and
>
>
>
>WHEREAS, state laws vary in the protection from
>discrimination that they offer to their blind
>citizens; and
>
>
>
>WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act
>(ADA) prohibits discrimination on the basis of
>disability in public accommodations and offers
>greater protection against discrimination than
>many state laws; and
>
>
>
>WHEREAS, many states have laws that contain
>provisions that are incongruent with the ADA,
>such as requirements that service animals must
>wear specific gear, provisions for muzzling,
>requirements for documentation, language
>concerning certifications that do not exist, and
>prohibitions of service animals in zoos, all of
>which are considered discriminatory under the
>ADA; and
>
>
>
>WHEREAS, although the ADA has been in existence
>for twenty years, many states have not bothered
>to change their laws to conform with the ADA; and
>
>
>
>WHEREAS, a large majority of states provide
>criminal penalties for discrimination on the
>basis of disability, allowing law enforcement to
>intervene, generally resulting in an immediate
>resolution of such access issues, while
>providing appropriate penalties for more serious
>infractions; and
>
>
>
>WHEREAS, criminal penalties allow for a more
>expeditious resolution of such access issues
>(benefiting the disabled community, in general,
>and society as a whole) by addressing
>discrimination at the local level, while
>relieving individuals from the burden of costly
>litigation and prolonged civil processes: Now,
>therefore,
>
>
>
>BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the
>Blind in Convention assembled this seventh day
>of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas, Texas,
>that this organization call upon state
>legislatures to examine their statutes for
>parity with the ADA, removing provisions that
>are not in conformity with this Federal law; and
>
>
>
>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization
>call upon the remaining states that do not
>provide criminal penalties for discrimination
>against blind guide dog users to more
>effectively promote and protect the equal rights
>of their blind citizens by creating criminal
>penalties for acts of discrimination; and
>
>
>
>BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization
>urge all states to protect the civil rights of
>the blind by vigorous enforcement of the law.
>
>Attachment converted: Macintosh HD:2010
>Resolution Regar#FF3B3.doc (WDBN/«IC») (000FF3B3)
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