[Nfbf-l] My own proposal

[RJ Sandefur]

I think We should write our own proposal, and submit it to the state house and senate. I'm sure you guys are doing this al ready. Hers what I've been working on.
Proposal for a separate agency serving the Blind 

                Realizing that under its present form the Florida division of blind services is presently under the auspices of the department of education, their bye limiting its service delivery, I am proposing to create a separate commission for the blind. This commission would consist of 9 commissioners, a majority of which are to be blind, and this commission for the blind would have a director. Congress has recognized that blind people have to learn things such as daily living skills, orientation and mobility in order to seek and maintain a job. States with separate commissions for the blind, have more consumers in the workforce than due agencies who are under a super agency such as APD is proposing.

What authority gives a state the right to create such a commission? The relevant federal law is Title 29 USC, Section 701 (a) (1) (A) of the

Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended. At its 2005 convention, The national federation of the blind of Florida passed a resolution concerning this issue.

Resolution 2005-4 Concerning an Independent Florida Commission for the Blind

NATIONAL FEDERATION OF THE BLIND OF FLORIDA

RESOLUTION 2005-04

CONCERNING AN INDEPENDENT FLORIDA COMMISSION FOR THE BLIND

 

WHEREAS

the blind of Florida have the right to rehabilitation services that address our

unique needs;  and

 

WHEREAS

the National Federation of the Blind of Florida resolved in 2001 to support the

formation of a State Commission for the Blind, an independent

consumer-controlled organization, made up of  9 Commissioners as such a

Commission would respond to blind consumers; and

 

WHEREAS

the State legislature has not moved to create such a Commission but has moved

the Division of Blind Services from the Department of Education to the

Department of Labor and back to the Department of Education again; and

 

WHEREAS

the State legislature has not acted to create such a Commission but has

explored privatizing the Division of the Blind;  and

 

WHEREAS

the State legislature has not moved to create such a Commission but is working

to dismantle the Division of the Blind by proposing to incorporate blind services

into an agency to serve all disabilities;  and

 

WHEREAS

it has become obvious that the legislature of the State of Florida does not have a

clear idea of the unique needs of the blind or how to best serve our needs and

has failed to ask us, the State's largest disability organization, The National

Federation of the Blind of Florida, what we want and need

 

THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED

by the National Federation of the Blind of Florida assembled in Convention this

30th  day of May, 2005, in the city of Boca Raton, that we strongly oppose,

object to and  condemn all efforts to transfer the Division of Blind services to a

department of Disabilities; and

 

BE It Further Resolved

that we, the organized blind of Florida,  loudly and clearly restate our

enthusiastic, unshakable resolve that the Florida State Legislature place all blind

services under a single, independent Commission , reporting directly to the

Governor and Legislature. This is what I'm proposing for Florida. Blind Floridians would not have to worry about the Division of blind services loosing funding because the commissioner of education disagrees with something DBS is doing, rather the director and commissioners, would submit their own separate to the Florida legislators, and they could pass it or reject it. Any ideas? RJ