[Nfbf-l] Message from the Director: 2011 Legislative Session

[MisterAdvocate at aol.com]

Sent: Friday, May 13, 2011 2:18  PM
To: #$DBS_ALL_USERS
Subject: Message from the Director:  2011 Legislative Session
Importance: High




 
Dear DBS  Employees, 
The 2011  legislative session was very difficult for all state programs and 
services for  our most vulnerable citizens.  Everything from budget cuts to 
agency  reorganizations was up for discussion and debate.  Facing a $4 
billion  budget shortfall amid a still-struggling economy, the Legislature was 
forced  to make many tough decisions.   
We are pleased to  say that the Division of Blind Services (DBS) came out 
of the process mostly  intact after surviving two potential pitfalls.  The 
first involved the  House budget plan, which proposed to cut $852,000 in 
general revenue funding  for the 2011-2012 DBS Budget.  The proposed cuts would 
impact the  following programs: 
    *   The  Blind Babies program, which maximizes the ability of visually 
impaired  children from birth to five years old and contribute to their 
success in  school. 
    *   The  Independent Living Program for Seniors which teaches these 
elders how to  care for themselves in their own home and therefore keep them 
from living  in nursing homes or other institutions.  
If the  proposed $852,000 was cut from the DBS budget and split 50/50  
between these general revenue funded programs, the impact  would be 164 babies 
or 17.7 percent of babies currently  served and 203 or 4.3 percent of seniors 
currently served would no  longer receive services.  The good news came 
during the next to last week  of Session when the House agreed to the Senate 
version of the DBS budget and  dropped the proposed cuts. 
The other proposed  change to impact DBS involved the reorganization of 
several state agencies to  create a new “jobs agency” that is a Governor 
priority.  Prior to  session, the Governor’s Office and the Senate had indicated 
they would not  support changes to the current structure of DBS within the 
Department of  Education (DOE).  On April 6, amendments were filed and 
adopted that  would in fact transfer DBS to this new agency.  Within an hour, the  
Senate voted to reconsider the adoption of the amendments and withdrew them 
 resulting in DBS staying with DOE.   It is difficult to know how  this 
change would have affected the operations of the Division but we do know  
transitioning to a new agency would take time and attention away from our  focus 
on client services. 
All in all, there  will be no negative effect on the programs offered by 
the Division and through  our partner organizations. In both of these 
situations we can thank the  Governor, our legislative supporters and the Florida 
Association for Agencies  Serving the Blind for their active support on behalf 
of blind and visually  impaired Floridians.   
We will send additional  information regarding the 2011 Legislative actions 
 soon. 
Thank  you, 
Joyce Hildreth,  Director 
Division of Blind  Services
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