[NFBC-Info] Legislative Alert: AB-947 (mobility bill)

[Shannon Dillon]

ACTION ALERT!
California Association of Orientation & Mobility Specialists (CAOMS)
caomsfape at gmail.com

HELP AB-947 BECOME LAW!

AB-947 supports access to the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC) and
Orientation & Mobility Instruction in Home and Community Environments
for Students with Visual Impairments!
Link to the bill:  https://legiscan.com/CA/text/AB947/2019

Assembly Bill 947  by Assembly Member Sharon Quirk-Silva
IS NOW ON THE GOVERNOR’S DESK!

PLEASE email Governor Newsom ASAP!
https://govapps.gov.ca.gov/gov40mail/
Urge Governor Newsom to SIGN AB 947!

Important:  email a copy of your support letter to
Dawn Adler, aide to Assembly Member Sharon Quirk-Silva:  dawn.adler at asm.ca.gov

Sample letter:

Dear Governor Newsom,
I urge you to sign AB-947, “Visually impaired pupils: expanded core
curriculum” This bill is critically important to blind and visually
impaired children: it will allow them to prepare for adult life by
providing them with the specialized instruction they need in key
areas: use of braille, audio or large print materials; Orientation and
Mobility (O&M); specialized technology; social and independent living
skills; and sensory efficiency.  I am a (your role: person with a
visual impairment; family member of a person with a visual impairment;
Orientation & Mobility Specialist for blind/visually impaired
children; Teacher of the Visually Impaired; parent of a blind/visually
impaired; concerned citizen). I am disturbed that so many school
districts have policies that, in effect, restrict blind and visually
impaired students from receiving adequate assessment and instruction
in the ECC. Visually impaired students who have a heavy academic load
during the school day need lessons in the ECC before or after school
hours so they do not miss core curriculum content. Many school
districts, however, disallow instruction in the ECC outside of school
hours.  Many school districts limit off-campus O&M instruction,
preventing students with visual impairments from learning the skills
they will need to travel safely and independently throughout home and
community environments as adults. Its unjust for our schools to
prevent our visually impaired students from receiving this critical
instruction while, at the same time, our schools promote, and even
provide transportation for, mainstream school-sponsored activities
such as participation in athletic, social or recreational activities
and tutoring in the core curriculum, much of which occurs outside of
school hours and some of which is held in off-campus locations. AB-947
will prevent school districts from imposed this type of discriminatory
restriction and will increase the chances that our children with
visual impairments have access to the instruction they require to
graduate from the school system prepared for adult life. I urge you to
sign this important bill.