[NFBOH-Cleveland] Resolutions for review

[Suzanne Turner]

Please review.

 


vResolution 2020-01: Regarding the Access Technology Affordability Act


WHEREAS, blind people use access technology tools such as screen readers,
refreshable Braille displays, and embossers to participate in school,
succeed in careers, and live independently; and

WHEREAS, public and private entities that are responsible for providing
these tools struggle to meet the current demand of blind people, which
results in prolonged delays in the delivery of necessary technology to the
blind; and

WHEREAS, access technology is highly specialized technology designed and
manufactured for a relatively small population, leading to the high cost of
these tools; and

WHEREAS, according to the 2017 American Community Survey, 69.5 percent of
Americans who report having a “visual disability” are unemployed or
underemployed and do not have the financial resources needed to purchase
these tools; and

WHEREAS, even more blind Americans have lost their jobs due to the COVID-19
pandemic, blind children and blind college students are learning online from
home, and many states are enforcing stay-at-home orders; and

WHEREAS, access technology could help blind citizens look for new jobs, keep
up with their coursework, or find out which local businesses are open and
safe for them to visit; and

WHEREAS, on March 14, 2019, Senators Boozman and Cardin introduced S. 815,
and on April 4, 2019, Representatives Thompson and Kelly introduced H.R.
2086, the Access Technology Affordability Act; and

WHEREAS, this legislation provides a solution that empowers blind people to
procure these items for themselves by creating a refundable tax credit in
the amount of $2,000 to be used over a three-year period: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization commend
Senators Boozman and Cardin, and Representatives Thompson and Kelly for
introducing the Access Technology Affordability Act; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization strongly urge the United
States Congress to enact the Access Technology Affordability Act
immediately.


Resolution 2020-02: Regarding the Accessibility of Apps used by Schools for
Parent-School Communication


WHEREAS, children who have parents who are involved in their schools and
communicate with their teachers regularly are more likely to succeed
educationally; and

WHEREAS, blind parents need equal access to the various communications sent
home from their children’s school in order to be as active in the education
of their children as sighted parents; and

WHEREAS, schools are often turning to various apps, such as ParentSquare, to
provide instant and simple communication between parents, teachers, and
school administrators; and

WHEREAS, ParentSquare has proven to have a level of accessibility that
allows blind parents to keep up with school-wide and classroom events, sign
up for parent-teacher conferences, volunteer in the classroom or school,
communicate with other parents, and privately message teachers or groups of
teachers in order to share accomplishments or discuss concerns; and

WHEREAS, other apps have not proven to have this level of accessibility,
thereby denying blind parents the right to easily obtain relevant
information about classroom and school events and communicate with other
parents and teachers in the same way as sighted parents: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization commend
ParentSquare for their work to make their app accessible; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand all companies
responsible for the development of parent-school communication apps ensure
their products are accessible to blind parents, teachers, and school
administrators.


Resolution 2020-03: Regarding the Accessible Instructional Materials in
Higher Education (AIM HIGH) Act


WHEREAS, technology has revolutionized access to information, course
materials, interaction with administration, and other facets of student life
in higher education; and

WHEREAS, Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibit
colleges and universities from discriminating against persons with
disabilities and mandate equal access to educational opportunities; and

WHEREAS, many postsecondary institutions are failing to comply with these
mandates as they apply in the digital world, routinely developing,
procuring, or deploying inaccessible technology, which results in unequal
access to academic opportunities and denial of full and equal participation
for blind students; and

WHEREAS, solutions exist to make technology accessible to blind students and
faculty members, but such solutions must be prioritized in the higher
education market and beyond; and

WHEREAS, on December 5, 2019, Congressman Roe of Tennessee and Congressman
Courtney of Connecticut introduced H.R. 5312, the Accessible Instructional
Materials in Higher Education (AIM HIGH) Act; and

WHEREAS, on December 18, 2019, Senator Elizabeth Warren of Massachusetts,
along with Senator Ernst of Iowa, Senator Bennet of Colorado, Senator
Sullivan of Alaska, and Senator Tester of Montana introduced companion
legislation, S. 3095; and     

WHEREAS, this legislation establishes a commission to evaluate existing
accessibility standards and to develop guidelines that technology
procurement officers and other postsecondary personnel can adopt in order to
expand the circle of participation and include blind and print-disabled
students in the 21st century interactive classroom: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that we demand colleges and
universities make accessibility a top priority for their virtual and
face-to-face campus communities; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Federation of the Blind commend
Congressmen Roe and Courtney, as well as Senators Warren, Bennet, Ernst,
Sullivan, and Tester for their leadership on this crucial initiative in the
116th Congress; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization commend the American Council
on Education, the Association of American Publishers, and the Software
Information and Industry Association for working with the National
Federation of the Blind and for supporting the swift passage of the AIM HIGH
Act in the 116th Congress.


Resolution 2020-04: Regarding Repeal of Discriminatory Legislation
Concerning Unemployment for Blind Workers


WHEREAS, blind people are and can be productive employees, with all of the
talent and capacity possessed by other employees across the range of
employment in the United States; and

WHEREAS, the amount of unemployment benefits, if any, that a person is
entitled to if laid off depends on the applicant’s earnings in the months
before being laid off (known as the “base period”); and

WHEREAS, Section 3309 of the Federal Unemployment Tax Act, 26 U.S.C. §
3309(b)(4), declares that wages paid to blind employees in sheltered
workshops may be excluded from benefits under the Federal Unemployment Tax
Act; and

WHEREAS, this provision discriminates against blind employees on the basis
of blindness; and

WHEREAS, blind people employed in workshops perform the same work as their
sighted colleagues and rely on their earned income just as do their sighted
colleagues; and

WHEREAS, blind employees at workshops are laid off during times of slack
employment to the same degree as other employees and have the same need for
unemployment compensation to pay for rent, food, utilities, and other
obligations; and

WHEREAS, many states have adopted laws that exclude from unemployment
calculation wages earned by blind individuals employed in workshops; and

WHEREAS, the effect of implementing these laws is to deny unemployment
benefits to blind people working in sheltered workshops in states that
implement these laws; and

WHEREAS, Louisiana Association for the Blind, Inc. has decided, in
accordance with state and federal laws, that it will not include wages paid
to blind employees in its calculation of unemployment benefits: Now,
therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization condemn
and deplore sheltered workshop employers, such as Louisiana Association for
the Blind, Inc. and others, who refuse to provide unemployment benefits to
blind employees solely on the basis of blindness and call upon these
employers to cease and desist this discriminatory practice; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon the United States
Congress to repeal the discriminatory provision of the Federal Unemployment
Tax Act that authorizes the exclusion of wages paid to blind employees from
unemployment benefits; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon the legislature of
each state that has authorized exclusion of wages paid to blind employees
from unemployment tax benefits to repeal this discriminatory provision.


Resolution 2020-05: Regarding Blind Leadership at Private Agencies for the
Blind


WHEREAS, over 200 private agencies in the US have been created to serve the
blind; and

WHEREAS, an essential part of the governing structure of an agency for the
blind is to include the processes, policies, and procedures that will ensure
that the agency for the blind administration is responsive to the interests,
needs, and aspirations of its constituency; and

WHEREAS, the most authentic representatives of the constituency of agencies
that serve the blind are blind people who have the lived experience of
blindness and have shown the commitment to engage in self-organization and
who are willing to be partners, directors, or managers of agencies for the
blind and advisors to them: Now, therefore, 

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization call
upon agencies for the blind to adopt the formal goal of committing to a
governing structure with numeric parity between blind and sighted directors
and managers, which will ensure partnership with the blind who have
dedicated their lives to improvement of blindness services nationally; and 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call upon and invite all United States
blindness agencies to formally adopt the following Blindness Parity Pledge,
to wit:

Our agency, the [NAME OF ORGANIZATION], was created and exists to help blind
people. We believe that those in whose name we serve should be represented
in parity in the governing board of directors and agency management. This
parity will result in blind people having a significant contribution to help
guide the services our agency provides and guiding the most effective ways
to give it. Therefore, we pledge ourselves to the values and commitments
that follow: 

We are managed by executives who are compensated for their work, and those
executives, in turn, are managed by a board of directors. We believe that
blind people must be a part of any blind agency’s management team at both of
these levels. While setting any particular percentage may appear to be
arbitrary, we know that, without a number it is impossible to measure
whether we are meeting our goal of significant involvement. We therefore
pledge that this agency will measure, in five years or less, at least half
of our management team be composed of people who are blind. We further
pledge that within the same five-year period our organization will commit to
a minimum of 50 percent of its governing Board of Directors be composed of
people who are blind.

To underscore the importance of parity representing those we serve, we
pledge to amend our by-laws to ensure that the parity, once achieved, will
continue as a hallmark and point of pride in our agency in perpetuity.
  
We believe there is no better way to demonstrate our commitment to the
constituency we serve than to have blind people contributing by being part
of our management. Our agency's current operation and its goals for the
future must be informed by those we serve, and we must, in appearance and in
fact be guided by blind peoples’ experience and aspirations at every level.

The effect of blind parity and inclusion will ultimately help our agency
address the accessibility needs of those we serve. They will help ensure
that every document we create will be accessible. With our full community
engaged, we will strive to see that our presence on the World Wide Web is
exemplary and serves to demonstrate that websites can be both visually
attractive and completely usable with screen reading technology.
Furthermore, our commitment to accessibility will extend far beyond the
written word. When we produce charts, graphs, and documents with pictures,
we will use state-of-the-art technology to make these accessible for the
blind. 

We value the feedback and active participation of blind people in the
development and implementation of the services we provide. In addition to
reaching parity on our board and management team, we pledge also to create a
working committee of the consumers we serve to meet regularly throughout the
year and advise on best practices in our programs and services. The members
of this independent advisory committee and the chairperson of the committee
will be chosen by the consumers themselves and meet at least quarterly with
senior management to build an agency which will continue to grow in
responsive, relevant and blind-positive ways.  


Resolution 2020-06: Regarding Access to Virtual Conferencing Solutions


WHEREAS, companies are increasingly hosting meetings and events online and
schools are conducting more classes virtually; and

WHEREAS, COVID-19 has dramatically increased the use of virtual events by
all organizations; and

WHEREAS, virtual conferencing software provides features including audio and
video sharing, sharing of a user’s screen, text chat, and more; and

WHEREAS, virtual conferencing software is commonly used to conduct many
internal and external activities for organizations including team meetings,
company presentations, webinars, product demonstrations, trainings, and
classes; and

WHEREAS, the nonvisual accessibility of virtual-conferencing solutions
varies widely, with some programs not announcing chat and screen share
activity and others having problems with user interfaces; and

WHEREAS, even the most accessible solutions have not found ways to make
features such as screen—and document—sharing and interactive features, such
as remote control and whiteboards, fully accessible; and

WHEREAS, Zoom conferencing is one of the most nonvisually accessible
solutions available, with its variety of keyboard shortcuts, straightforward
and accessible interface, and variety of announcements for screen reader
users; and

WHEREAS, Zoom has been responsive to the needs of blind and low-vision users
and continues to work to improve the nonvisual accessibility of its product:
Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization commend
Zoom Video Conferencing for its leading work on nonvisual access to
conferencing solutions; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge all conferencing vendors
to continue to improve nonvisual access to their platforms and to
collaborate with the National Federation of the Blind to find new and
innovative solutions to barriers that exist now or may arise in the future.


Resolution 2020-07: Regarding Equal Access to Digital Fitness Programming
and Supplementary Material


WHEREAS, regular physical activity, healthy eating, and quality sleep are
key factors in maintaining good health and reducing the risk of obesity; and

WHEREAS, blind people are twice as likely as our sighted peers to experience
obesity and significantly more likely to lead a sedentary lifestyle, leading
to increased risk of type II diabetes, cardiovascular disease, stroke, sleep
apnea, osteoarthritis, depression, and certain site-specific cancers; and

WHEREAS, many of these risk factors—including obesity, heart disease, and
type II diabetes—are likely to increase the severity of COVID-19,
potentially resulting in hospitalization or even death; and

WHEREAS, most people have the option of using quality fitness applications
and websites to access exercise programs and diet plans, as well as to track
various health and wellness information in order to achieve and maintain
good health; and

WHEREAS, Gallup’s 2019 Health and Healthcare survey reports that more than
1/3 of Americans currently use a fitness application or wearable fitness
technology to track their fitness, food intake, sleep, steps, stress, or
other health-related factors; and

WHEREAS, the temporary, and in some cases permanent, closure of fitness
facilities across the United States due to COVID-19 has accelerated the
demand for and growth of the digital fitness industry; and

WHEREAS, many fitness applications, websites, videos, tutorials, pictorial
representations, recipes, brochures, and other materials are inaccessible to
blind people, making it increasingly difficult for blind people to manage
our health effectively; and

WHEREAS, customer support is inconsistent at best and rarely offers
alternatives that allow blind people equal access to fitness tracking,
programming, and supplementary items; and

WHEREAS, digital accessibility guidelines and best practices in video
description and web and application accessibility exist to enable these
companies to make their digital content and supplementary items accessible
without causing an undue financial burden; and

WHEREAS, in light of the risks associated with neglecting to manage our
health, the inability to fully access features of major fitness companies
including Weight Watchers, BeachBody, Aaptiv, FitBit, and many others,
constitutes a public health emergency and an inequity that is not addressed
by the medical community: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization urge
wellness and fitness industry leaders including Weight Watchers, BeachBody,
Aaptiv, FitBit, and others to collaborate with the National Federation of
the Blind to make their programs, services, websites, and apps nonvisually
accessible, and to work with the National Federation of the Blind regarding
customer service training; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we strongly urge the United States Office of
Personnel Management, Medicare, other health insurance companies, Vocational
Rehabilitation, and others who contract with third-party providers of health
and wellness content to stop procuring health and wellness products and
services that are inaccessible to blind people; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon national health care
organizations and advocates, such as the American Medical Association, to
join their voices with ours to raise awareness about this unjust health care
inequity.


Resolution 2020-08: Regarding Equal Access to News And Information


WHEREAS, equal access to current news and information is critically
important for everyone in the twenty-first century, and this is no less true
for the blind; and

WHEREAS, the current COVID-19 pandemic has only increased and accentuated
the urgent need for equal access to timely and accessible information; and

WHEREAS, the pandemic has also acutely demonstrated the need for accessible
infographics, tables, charts, and other image-based or graphical formats in
the presentation of news and information; and

WHEREAS, inaccessibility is a problem across news and media platforms: for
example, many news websites and apps contain significant accessibility
barriers; streaming services have widely varying degrees of accessibility;
and television newscasts do not include any audio description, not even to
identify speakers and interviewees, which could easily be accomplished using
available text-to-speech technology; and

WHEREAS, while federal regulations have done much good by establishing a
system for the uniform provision of emergency weather information to the
blind over broadcast television channels, consideration of further measures
to increase the accessibility of news and current information is warranted,
including to expand access for deafblind consumers; and

WHEREAS, the vast majority of news and other mass media in the United States
is produced, controlled, and/or distributed by a relatively small number of
large media conglomerates owning multiple media outlets (e.g., National
Amusements, Disney, News Corp., Time Warner, Comcast, Bloomberg, Fox, Sony,
Hearst, Scripps, Sinclair), each of which owns properties across multiple
platforms and each of which has the resources to develop and implement a
comprehensive accessibility policy across their outlets; and

WHEREAS, leaders in the news and mass media industries, by implementing
well-thought-out accessibility policies and practices, would set an example
for the many independent and startup mass media companies now proliferating:
Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization call
upon all major media companies in the United States to develop and implement
cross-platform accessibility strategies including web and mobile app
accessibility, audio description, and other components designed to make news
and information fully and equally accessible to blind and deafblind
consumers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call upon the Federal Communications
Commission to consider expanding requirements for media access, particularly
in the area of broadcast and cable television, with the goal of making news
and information more accessible to the blind and deafblind communities.


Resolution 2020-09: Regarding the Temporary Elimination of Waiting Periods
for Social Security Disability Insurance Benefits and Medicare Insurance


WHEREAS, the COVID-19 pandemic has caused many Americans to lose their jobs,
including blind people; and

WHEREAS, blind Americans who have lost their jobs can be expected to apply
for Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) and Medicare benefits; and

WHEREAS, once a claimant has been determined eligible, a waiting period of
five months must be observed prior to receiving SSDI payments, and a waiting
period of twenty-four months must be observed before a claimant can receive
Medicare insurance; and

WHEREAS, Congress, in legislation intended to ease the financial burden of
the COVID-19 pandemic on all Americans, neglected to address these overly
burdensome waiting periods: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization urge
Congress to temporarily waive these waiting periods during this pandemic so
that blind Americans can receive SSDI and Medicare benefits immediately
after they are deemed eligible.


Resolution 2020-10: Regarding the Accessibility of LEGO® MINDSTORMS® Robots
and LEGO MINDSTORMS Challenges


WHEREAS, FIRST® (For Inspiration and Recognition of Science and Technology)
is an international youth organization that operates the FIRST Robotics
Competition and other FIRST LEGO League Challenges; and

WHEREAS, in 1998 the founder of FIRST and the owner of the LEGO Group joined
forces to create FIRST LEGO League (FLL), which challenges kids to think
like scientists and engineers to solve real-world problems while learning
how to build and program autonomous robots; and

WHEREAS, one of the core principles espoused by FLL for its competitions is
that of inclusion: “we respect each other and embrace our differences”; and

WHEREAS, a desire to explore the subjects of science, technology,
engineering, and math (STEM) is not limited to sighted students; and

WHEREAS, presently, neither the software provided by FLL for programming nor
the interface to the MINDSTORMS robot controller include any accessibility
features or support for third-party screen-reader access technologies; and

WHEREAS, a team working with Dr. Andreas Stefik from the University of
Nevada, Las Vegas, has developed an alternative firmware which enables the
Quorum programming language to run on the LEGO EV3 intelligent brick (the
brain of the robot), providing an accessible path for blind students to
participate in FLL challenges; and

WHEREAS, this firmware requires approximately fifteen seconds to load before
the MINDSTORMS robot can begin executing instructions, and the native LEGO
MINDSTORMS firmware requires no appreciable boot time; and

WHEREAS, without allowances for the extra boot time that the alternative
firmware requires, teams of blind students who must use screen readers are
unfairly penalized for using a tool necessary for them to program their
robot; and

WHEREAS, blind students are further penalized because they are required to
execute their missions on a mat that has no tactile cues; and

WHEREAS, for many years, FLL executives have been informed of these problems
by accessibility experts and leaders and coaches from teams of blind
students, but have failed to eliminate the barriers faced by blind
participants; and

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind is the largest consumer
organization of blind people in the nation, which, for eighty years, has
worked to increase educational opportunities and access to STEM subjects and
careers: Now, Therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization strongly
urge the FIRST LEGO League to engage with the National Federation of the
Blind, LEGO MINDSTORMS competition teams having blind persons as members,
and others interested in providing an accessible LEGO MINDSTORMS experience
to develop and implement full nonvisual accessibility for the LEGO
MINDSTORMS programming software, LEGO EV3 intelligent brick and all future
control brick user interfaces, and any related software or hardware
necessary to program and operate LEGO MINDSTORMS robots; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization strongly encourage FLL, until
such time that the LEGO MINDSTORMS software and control hardware is fully
accessible to all, to allow any team that so chooses the opportunity to use
the Quorum programming language and alternative firmware so as not to create
a segregated environment for teams where blind students participate; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that FLL restructure
its rules to eliminate time penalties, to ensure that all documentation is
provided in formats that are accessible to blind participants and coaches,
and to develop tactile representations of the mats used for executing
robotic challenges during competitions.


Resolution 2020-11: Regarding Amazon Employment Practices


WHEREAS, Amazon promotes itself as building an inclusive culture for
employees with disabilities, in part, through the establishment of its
Global Accessibility Awareness Month and Amazon People with Disabilities
affinity group; and

WHEREAS, employment with Amazon is highly desirable in that Amazon offers
industry-leading benefits, including comprehensive healthcare, retirement
savings plans, tuition reimbursement, and more; and

WHEREAS, Amazon maintains a practice of refusing to accommodate blind
employees in entry level positions by prohibiting the use of screen access
software in workstations, refusing to modify job assignments, and failing to
install tactile safety features in warehouse settings; and

WHEREAS, Amazon has established a pattern of shifting these blind employees
to leave-without-pay status or terminating them, rather than providing
necessary accommodations; and

WHEREAS, Amazon could provide these accommodations, modifications, and
safety features without significant difficulty or expense given Amazon’s
financial and technological resources; and

WHEREAS, Title I of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits employers
from denying employment opportunities to individuals with disabilities when
that denial is based on the need to provide reasonable accommodations; and

WHEREAS, Title I of the ADA obligates employers to engage in an interactive
process when reviewing accommodation requests; and

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind has advocated strongly on
behalf of blind employees by filing suit and supporting administrative
complaints against Amazon for its disparate treatment of blind workers and
job applicants: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization hereby
condemn and deplore Amazon’s pattern of discrimination against blind
employees and job seekers in violation of federal and state law; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand Amazon promptly
implement processes for reviewing and approving reasonable accommodations
and modifications for blind employees, including the use of third-party
screen access software at workstations, approval of reasonable assignment
modifications, and implementation of nonvisual safety precautions in
warehouse settings; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand Amazon immediately
cease placing blind employees on leave without pay while Amazon engages in a
reasonable accommodation review process.


Resolution 2020-12: Regarding Urging All Agencies Serving the Blind to
Implement Diversity and Inclusion Principles


WHEREAS, employers that incorporate diversity and inclusion principles and
policies implement positive initiatives, policies, and practices to
eliminate the disadvantages some people experience due to systemic
discrimination which influences recruitment, hiring, retention, and
advancement in the workplace; and

WHEREAS, agencies that incorporate diversity and inclusion principles and
whose leadership and staff come from demographic backgrounds representative
of the people they serve are more effective in relating to their clientele
and operating in non-discriminatory ways than agencies that have not adopted
diversity and inclusion policies; and

WHEREAS, the United States has a long history of discrimination based on
demographic factors such as race, religion, sexual orientation, gender
identity and expression, disability, and other factors, which can affect the
provision of blindness-related services, such as vocational rehabilitation;
and

WHEREAS, blind people can be restricted from reaching their full potential
when they experience discrimination in their quest for the blindness-related
services that are designed to elevate them above low expectations and
societal attitudes; and

WHEREAS, some agencies serving the blind do not currently incorporate
diversity and inclusion principles and policies into their recruitment,
hiring, retention, and advancement approaches; and

WHEREAS, agencies that do not implement diversity and inclusion principles
and policies often do not have a workforce and management team that is
diverse, inclusive, or demographically similar to the clientele served by
these agencies; and

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind works actively to promote
diversity and inclusion while raising the expectations of blind people: Now,
therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization urge all
providers of services for the blind to incorporate diversity and inclusion
principles and policies in their employment practices and service delivery;
and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization commend all providers of
services for the blind that have already embraced diversity and inclusion
principles and policies in employment practices and service delivery.


Resolution 2020-13: Regarding Limitations on Allegations of Overpayment by
the Social Security Administration


WHEREAS, blind Social Security and Supplemental Security Income (SSI)
recipients are often notified of alleged overpayments made to them by the
Social Security Administration; and

WHEREAS, the law allows the Social Security Administration to seek recovery
of alleged overpayments without regard to whether an individual is or is not
currently receiving benefits and without regard to when in the past the
alleged overpayment supposedly occurred, leading to overpayment allegations
that are more than twenty or thirty years in the past; and

WHEREAS, this situation leaves both current and former Social Security and
SSI recipients at permanent risk of having to defend themselves against
attempted recovery of alleged overpayments, which often amount to tens of
thousands of dollars; and

WHEREAS, it is unconscionable that the Social Security Administration is
allowed to pursue overpayment allegations against recipients at any time,
past or present, while at the same time holding recipients to timely filing
of reports to document earnings and continued entitlement to benefits; and

WHEREAS, requiring alleged overpayments to be returned years after the
proceeds have typically been spent on day-to-day living expenses such as
food, clothing, and shelter is unjust and can result in extreme financial
hardship: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization urge the
United States Congress to amend the Social Security Act to specify that
recovery of an overpayment for any month that is more than twelve months in
the past is against equity and good conscience and must be waived unless the
recipient is at fault in causing the overpayment.


Resolution 2020-14: Regarding Audio Description on YouTube


WHEREAS, YouTube, a product of Google, is the most popular platform for the
hosting of internet videos created by members of the public; and

WHEREAS, YouTube hosts millions of videos from all over the world, and more
are uploaded every day; and

WHEREAS, YouTube collaborated with the Smith-Kettlewell Eye Research
Institute to create YouDescribe, a separate website and app that allows
volunteers to produce audio description (AD) for YouTube videos and hosts
the described versions of the videos; and

WHEREAS, other than the YouDescribe project, YouTube has made no real effort
to incorporate AD into its own platform or to acquire or license AD for the
programs hosted on its premium YouTube TV service; and

WHEREAS, specifically, even if a video producer chooses to include AD for
their video, the AD track cannot be incorporated into the uploaded video for
optional access by users through a toggle button, as can closed captions,
and instead the producer must upload an entirely separate version of the
video that includes the audio description; and

WHEREAS, Vimeo and other popular video-upload services also do not have an
option for producers to include integrated AD with their content: Now,
therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization demand
YouTube develop the capability for producers to upload videos with
incorporated AD tracks that can be independently activated by the user if
desired, eliminating the need for producers who wish to include AD for blind
viewers to upload two separate versions of their content; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand YouTube TV incorporate
AD into its offerings to the maximum extent feasible; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we call upon Vimeo and other video hosting
services to incorporate the ability to accept AD into their services as
well.


Resolution 2020-15: Regarding Braille Access to Educational Apps Which
Promote Reading for Blind Students, Parents, and Teachers


WHEREAS, literacy is a crucial skill for all in order to fully succeed in
education and adult life; and

WHEREAS, for blind children, true literacy means becoming proficient in
reading and writing the Braille code; and

WHEREAS, blind children are at an automatic disadvantage when compared to
their sighted peers, as print for sighted children is pervasive in the
environment, and Braille is not; and

WHEREAS, children master reading best when they practice early and often,
and they will be much more likely and willing to practice if they have a
variety of books at, or just above, their current reading level to choose
from; and

WHEREAS, more and more apps such as Epic! and Raz-Kids are being developed
to provide thousands of books electronically, particularly for children
pre-K through second grade, so they can practice reading, and so teachers
and parents can track their reading progress; and

WHEREAS, these apps are being used in millions of classrooms and homes
across the country; and

WHEREAS, most do not offer the ability for a blind student to read any of
their titles using a Braille display, and although some offer an audio
option, listening to a book without the ability to follow along in Braille
the way their sighted peers can in print is not a true literacy experience
for a child who is blind; and

WHEREAS, parents and teachers who are blind would also benefit in countless
ways if they had the ability to interact with these apps using a Braille
display: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that we demand the creators of
educational apps make them fully accessible to ensure all blind students,
parents, and teachers can have the ability to read any book available using
a Braille display; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge these developers to call
upon the expertise of blind students, parents, and teachers in the National
Federation of the Blind while making these changes in order to create apps
which will truly reflect the needs and authentic experiences of blind
people.


Resolution 2020-16: Regarding an Increase in Funding for the Independent
Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind Program Through the
Rehabilitation Services Administration


WHEREAS, Independent Living Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind
(OIB) is a program funded through the Rehabilitation Services Administration
(RSA) that provides training and accessible technology for individuals
fifty-five years or older who are blind, to increase their ability to live
independently and care for their individual needs; and

WHEREAS, for the past three fiscal years the OIB program has been awarded
$33,317,000 each year; and

WHEREAS, the American Community Survey estimated that in 2018 there were
4,584,000 blind people who were fifty-five or older and, according to the
Centers for Disease Control (CDC), this number should increase rapidly due
to diabetes and other chronic diseases that cause blindness; and

WHEREAS, with $33,317,000 awarded to the OIB program each of the past three
years to serve an eligible population of approximately 4,584,000 individuals
(approximately $7.27 per eligible individual), this funding is woefully
inadequate; and

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind knows that blindness is not
the characteristic that defines one's abilities, and, given the proper
technology and training, blind people can live the lives they want; and

WHEREAS, in order for blind people to fully participate in their
communities, they must have access to technology such as screen readers,
smart phones, and Braille notetakers and training to use them, as well as
training in orientation and mobility and independent living skills; and

WHEREAS, the limited funding for the OIB program is far from adequate to
cover the cost of such access technology, which often ranges from $1,000 to
$6,000, as well as quality training to meet the needs of the individual:
Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization urge
Congress to substantially increase funding for the Independent Living
Services for Older Individuals Who Are Blind program, so that older
individuals who are blind can get the training and technology needed to live
with complete independence, social integration, individual productivity, and
personal dignity.


Resolution 2020-17: Regarding College Board Advanced Placement Exams


WHEREAS, College Board’s Advanced Placement (AP) exams are high-stakes tests
through which students can demonstrate subject mastery and use their test
scores to fulfill college credits; and

WHEREAS, College Board’s AP exams are historically administered within high
schools; and

WHEREAS, due to COVID-19-related school building closures, College Board
shifted its AP test administration to a virtual format; and

WHEREAS, blind students who had previously been approved by College Board to
receive hard-copy Braille and tactile graphics as test accommodations were
told that these accommodations would no longer be available for the Spring
2020 AP administration; and

WHEREAS, Title III of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits
testing entities from discriminating against individuals with disabilities
and stipulates that tests must be delivered in a manner that measures an
individual’s mastery of the subject matter, as opposed to reflecting his or
her disability; and

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind and five high school students
filed complaints with the United States Departments of Education and Justice
regarding College Board’s refusal to provide hard-copy Braille and tactile
graphics; and

WHEREAS, College Board subsequently agreed to make hard-copy Braille and
tactile graphics available for blind students who had previously been
approved for these accommodations for AP tests, should the students request
them again; and

WHEREAS, College Board announced its intention by letter to the National
Federation of the Blind to consult with the Federation on ways to make a
digital SAT accessible to blind students should the test be administered
digitally in Fall 2020: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization hereby
commend the College Board for revising its interim COVID-19 AP testing
procedures to reincorporate delivery of hard-copy Braille and tactile
graphics and for committing to consult with the National Federation of the
Blind on delivery of such accommodations for a possible 2020 digital SAT
administration; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that all high-stakes
testing entities, including College Board, implement plans for the provision
of hard-copy Braille and tactile graphics for any test administration, in
conformance with Title III of the ADA, regardless of whether testing occurs
in person or virtually.


Resolution 2020-18: Regarding Accessibility of Mutual Fund, Brokerage, and
Rating Services Websites and Apps


WHEREAS, most investment platforms for mutual fund and brokerage services do
not offer blind investors all of the information contained in infographics,
charts, or graphs in accessible formats; and

WHEREAS, popular investment rating websites and apps that are used to make
critical investment decisions frequently contain inaccessible infographics,
charts, and graphs; and

WHEREAS, monthly, quarterly, or annual financial statements may be provided
on these websites and apps as inaccessible PDFs or other electronic formats;
and

WHEREAS, blind investors should be able to make well informed investment
decisions and updates to their accounts in a timely manner without the loss
of privacy resulting from assistance needed to work around inaccessible
content; and

WHEREAS, blind investors should have all the benefits of data available to
other investors on platforms or on investing websites to manage their
wealth: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization demand
mutual fund, brokerage, and rating services build their online and mobile
applications in a manner that allows blind users to access the same
information, engage in the same interactions, and enjoy the same services
offered to other users with the same privacy, independence, and
substantially equivalent ease of use.


Resolution 2020-19: Regarding the Media’s Biased Coverage of Electronic
Ballot Delivery


WHEREAS, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires that
voters with disabilities be afforded an opportunity to exercise the right to
vote that is equivalent to the opportunity afforded to voters without
disabilities; and

WHEREAS, the use of vote-by-mail to conduct local, state, and federal
elections by mailing an inaccessible paper ballot to every voter has
increased substantially due to the COVID-19 pandemic; and

WHEREAS, accessible electronic ballot delivery systems enable blind,
low-vision, and other print-disabled voters to use a computer and access
technology to mark their mail or absentee ballot either online or as an
email attachment that is downloaded; and

WHEREAS, the vast majority of jurisdictions that provide electronic ballot
delivery require the voter to either print out the ballot and mail it in or
to return it as an email attachment with only King County in Washington,
Utah County in Utah, and West Virginia permitting electronic return of the
ballot on a pilot basis; and

WHEREAS, in states that do not currently provide an accessible electronic
ballot delivery system to voters with print disabilities, these voters are
being forced to choose between giving up their right to a secret ballot by
having a sighted person mark their ballot and trusting them to mark it as
instructed or to risk exposure to COVID-19 by voting in-person at a polling
place; and

WHEREAS, electronic ballot delivery systems have been in use since 2008 with
no documented case of a system being hacked in an election setting; and

WHEREAS, the majority of media coverage of the increased use of electronic
ballot delivery systems as a result of elections being changed from
predominantly in-person to predominantly vote-by-mail as a result of the
COVID-19 pandemic has misinformed the public by referring to it as online
voting, by focusing almost solely on the unsubstantiated claims of so-called
security experts, by failing to include the perspective of the disability
community, and by failing to state that an accessible way to vote-by-mail is
required by federal law; and

WHEREAS, the media does not hesitate to question the motives and credibility
of the National Federation of the Blind or other disability advocates but
assumes that the so-called security experts have no biases or advocacy goals
of their own: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization condemn
the media for its biased coverage that misinforms the general public about
electronic ballot delivery systems and ignores the right of voters with
print disabilities to a secret ballot; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand media outlets such as
the New York Times, the Washington Post, National Public Radio, Politico,
and the Wall Street Journal provide more balanced coverage of electronic
ballot delivery systems that includes the perspective of voters with
disabilities and explains how these systems enable blind voters to mark
their ballots privately and independently without having to risk exposure to
COVID-19 at the polling place.


Resolution 2020-20: Regarding the Discriminatory Testing Practices and
Policies of the International Association of Accessibility Professionals


WHEREAS, the International Association of Accessibility Professionals (IAAP)
is a not-for-profit membership organization based in Atlanta, Georgia; and

WHEREAS, the members of the IAAP are individuals and organizations that are
focused on accessibility or are in the process of building their
accessibility skills and strategies; and

WHEREAS, the IAAP’s “Vision of Universal Design” states that “implementing
Universal Design principles takes everybody into account and leads to fully
inclusive and sustainable digital and built environments"; and

WHEREAS, the IAAP claims to be a space where "accessibility professionals
from around the world come together to define, promote and improve the
accessibility profession through networking, education and certification";
and

WHEREAS, the IAAP offers the Certified Professional in Accessibility Core
Competencies (CPACC), the Web Accessibility Specialist (WAS), and other
professional certification exams to facilitate credentialing in the
accessibility industry; and

WHEREAS, the IAAP offers the most widely recognized and accepted
credentialing exams in the industry; and

WHEREAS, the IAAP offers its tests at specialized testing centers, as well
as at professional conferences such as CSUN, and most recently online at
home because of COVID-19; and

WHEREAS, the IAAP discriminates against blind test-takers because it does
not offer blind test-takers the same access to these multiple testing
options as it does to sighted test-takers; and

WHEREAS, the IAAP contracts with Kryterion Global Testing Solutions (KGTS)
to provide the testing centers, and these testing centers refuse to make
reasonable modifications to allow their services to be accessible to blind
test-takers; and

WHEREAS, for instance, KGTS uses biometric eye scanners for identification
as a requirement to access online testing, a function which most blind
people cannot perform; and

WHEREAS, KGTS frequently refuses to work with blind test-takers and simply
refers the individual to the IAAP; and               

WHEREAS, instead of forcing KGTS to accommodate blind test-takers, the IAAP
requires the blind test-takers to sit for a privately proctored exam and to
employ their own proctors, at their own expense; and

WHEREAS, to no avail, blind test-takers have challenged the IAAP’s
discriminatory testing policies by filing complaints explaining these
issues: Now, therefore  

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization demand
the IAAP develop robust accessibility policies and procedures that will
eliminate the barriers faced by blind people to truly meet its stated goal
of full inclusion; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization insist that the IAAP promptly
end its relationship with Kryterion Global Testing Solutions unless KGTS
adopts and publicly posts a robust accessibility policy, including use of
accessible testing centers and accessible testing practices.


Resolution 2020-21: Regarding the Relocation of the National Library Service
for the Blind and Print Disabled


WHEREAS, since 1931, the National Library Service for the Blind and Print
Disabled (NLS), a program of the Library of Congress, has provided quality
reading materials to the blind, thereby increasing knowledge, opportunity,
and the ability to live the lives we want; and

WHEREAS, because of the responsiveness to feedback from blind patrons, the
quality of service provided by the NLS has made it widely recognized as the
most successful library program for the blind in the world; and

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind has a long and mutually
beneficial relationship with the NLS that has resulted in the expansion of
the library’s programs to include children, the inclusion of music
materials, the transition to digital technology, and advocating for the
distribution of refreshable Braille displays; and

WHEREAS, the operations of this national treasure of equality and accessible
information have been relegated to a rented building miles away from the
center of our nation’s capital where all of our most important federal
buildings are located and far from the Library of Congress, which manages
the program; and

WHEREAS, a new location at 501 First Street SE, Washington, DC, has been
identified for relocating the NLS to property already owned by the federal
government and within a few city blocks of the main Library of Congress
building; and

WHEREAS, placing NLS on this property would highlight the nation’s
commitment to equal access for all citizens, create greater awareness
resulting from greater public exposure, be more easily accessed using public
transportation, improve the storage and security of library holdings,
increase the ability for elected officials to benefit from the expertise of
the NLS to  better communicate with constituents, and more effectively
utilize the specialized knowledge base of the staff at the National Library
Service: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization urge the
United States Congress to appropriate the necessary funds to move the
National Library Service for the Blind and Print Disabled to the property at
501 First Street SE, Washington, DC, and that the design and execution of
this construction project begin as soon as possible.


Resolution 2020-22: Regarding Netflix


WHEREAS, Netflix is a subscription streaming service that hosts movies,
television programs, and other video content; and

WHEREAS, content available on Netflix includes an ever-increasing number of
popular and/or critically acclaimed films and programs specifically created
for the service, such as the TV shows Stranger Things, Orange Is the New
Black, and the Oscar-winning film The Irishman; and

WHEREAS, since 2016 Netflix has incorporated audio description (AD) into all
of its original programming, and the vast majority of new programming
released by Netflix since that time has included AD at the time of its
release to the general public; and

WHEREAS, while the incorporation of AD was spurred by a settlement
agreement, there can be no question that Netflix has gone above and beyond
that agreement in making accessible content available; and

WHEREAS, for example, Netflix not only includes AD for its original
programming, but has taken care to acquire or license AD for programs that
it gets from other producers and providers, including acquiring AD produced
for foreign markets when necessary, and in some cases has commissioned AD
for popular programs not produced by Netflix, such as Mad Men and Breaking
Bad, when AD was otherwise unavailable; and

WHEREAS, Netflix has continuously engaged with the National Federation of
the Blind to seek feedback on the quality and availability of AD on the
platform, as well as the accessibility of its website and apps and possible
other improvements to the service that may increase its usefulness to blind
customers: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization strongly
commend Netflix for its extraordinary commitment to full and equal access to
its programming and services for its blind customers; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge Netflix to continue to work with the
National Federation of the Blind to improve the overall value and quality of
its service to blind consumers.


Resolution 2020-23: Regarding Strengthening the Help America Vote Act of
2002


WHEREAS, the ability to cast a secret ballot independently is a cornerstone
of our democracy that enables citizens to vote their conscience without
fear; and

WHEREAS, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act requires that
voters with disabilities be afforded an opportunity to exercise the right to
vote that is equivalent to the opportunity afforded to voters without
disabilities; and

WHEREAS, the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (HAVA) currently only applies to
federal elections and to voting systems found in the polling place; and

WHEREAS, the use of vote-by-mail and absentee voting to conduct local,
state, and federal elections has increased substantially due to the COVID-19
pandemic; and

WHEREAS, data collected by the United States Elections Assistance Commission
(EAC) show that the percentage of ballots cast by mail and absentee voting
has steadily increased nationwide from twelve percent in 2004 to twenty-four
percent in 2016; and

WHEREAS, while the accessible electronic ballot delivery systems currently
available enable blind, low-vision, and deafblind voters to mark their
ballot privately and independently using a computer and access technology,
the printed paper ballot that most jurisdictions require the voter to mail
in requires the voter to have access to a printer and frequently cannot be
verified by the blind voter because optical character recognition (OCR) does
not recognize a filled-in bubble; and

WHEREAS, the ballots marked using an electronic ballot delivery system and
printed on a home or office printer cannot be inserted into currently
available tabulators to be counted, and the votes contained on these ballots
must be manually transferred to ballot-stock ballots and then visually
inspected for accuracy; and

WHEREAS, because of security concerns, most jurisdictions do not permit the
acceptance of ballots that are delivered electronically to be returned
electronically or via email; and

WHEREAS, there currently is no federal certification process or federal
guidelines to guarantee the accessibility, usability, and security of
electronic ballot delivery systems as currently exists for in-person voting
systems under HAVA; Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization demand
Congress amend HAVA to require that there be at least one accessible ballot
marking system in each polling place for all local and state elections in
addition to all federal elections; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand Congress amend HAVA to
include vote-by-mail and absentee voting and to require that an accessible
electronic ballot delivery system be available to voters with disabilities
for all local, state, and federal elections; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand Congress amend HAVA to
provide the authority and funding to the EAC necessary to develop and
implement federal guidelines to ensure the accessibility, usability, and
security of electronic ballot delivery systems, and to develop a
certification program to certify systems that meet these guidelines; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand Congress provide
funding to the EAC for grants to develop technology that will enable
electronically delivered ballots to be returned electronically in a secure
manner, that will enable blind voters to independently verify their printed
ballot, and to develop technology that will tabulate ballots printed from
home or office printers in a manner that preserves the secrecy of the
ballot. 


Resolution 2020-24: Regarding the World Intellectual Property Organization
and the Accessible Books Consortium


WHEREAS, the member states of the World Intellectual Property Organization
(WIPO) adopted the Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to Published Works
for Persons who are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled
(Marrakesh Treaty) in June 2013 to create exceptions and limitations to
copyright law permitting the copying of published works into accessible
formats and to allow the sharing of accessible copies across international
borders; and

WHEREAS, there are currently 67 parties to the Treaty covering 94 countries
including the United States; and

WHEREAS, WIPO created the Accessible Books Consortium (ABC) in June 2014 to
help implement the Marrakesh Treaty through establishing the accessible
Global Book Service, building capacity to produce accessible books in
developing and least developed countries, and to promote inclusive
publishing throughout the world; and

WHEREAS, the Global Book Service now has 71 participating libraries for the
blind and print disabled, with 634,000 accessible titles available through
the Service; and

WHEREAS, WIPO is dramatically expanding the capacity of the Global Book
Service by migrating its collection to the Cloud and developing an
application to allow consumers of ABC’s partner libraries to search for and
download books; and

WHEREAS, ABC is also leading the effort to establish a global, federated,
online search, whereby the blind and print disabled will be able to search
for accessible works from the widest number of sources, leading to the
ability of eligible blind and print- disabled persons to find accessible
books immediately; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Francis Gurry has served as Director General of WIPO since
2008; and

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind awarded Dr. Gurry its Global
Literacy Award in 2018 in recognition of his outstanding leadership, which
played a key role adopting the Marrakesh Treaty and establishing ABC, and
for his commitment to recognizing and securing the right of the blind to
access information; and

WHEREAS, Dr. Gurry’s term as Director General comes to a close on September
30, 2020: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth Day of July, 2020, that we applaud WIPO for its
commitment to implementing the Marrakesh Treaty worldwide; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge WIPO to continue rapidly
expanding its Global Book Service and establishing a federated search site
so that blind persons here and throughout the world can quickly and
efficiently search for accessible titles and download them directly and
immediately; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we commend Dr. Francis Gurry for his committed
leadership in putting accessible books into the hands of the blind,
congratulate him on completing his term as Director General of WIPO, and
wish him well for the future.


Resolution 2020-25: Regarding HBO, HBO Max, and Audio Description


WHEREAS, HBO, operated by Home Box Office, Inc., a subsidiary of AT&T’s
Warner Media, is a package of premium cable channels that air
commercial-free, uncensored content including movies, comedy specials,
concerts, documentaries, sporting events, and original scripted television
series; and

WHEREAS, HBO has now launched HBO Max, a stand-alone streaming service,
which according to its website includes “all of HBO together with even more
of your favorite series and blockbuster movies, plus new and exclusive Max
originals for everyone in your family”; and

WHEREAS, over the past two decades the original programming produced by and
for HBO has been among the most critically acclaimed, culturally
significant, and popular television programming available, including shows
such as The Sopranos, The Wire, Game of Thrones, True Detective, Veep, and
Westworld; and

WHEREAS, neither HBO nor HBO Max offers audio description (AD) for any of
their programming, even though AD has often been produced for said
programming for airing in foreign markets like the United Kingdom; and

WHEREAS, HBO Max includes many movies (e.g., Wonder Woman and other DC
Universe franchise films) and television shows (e.g. Friends, The Big Bang
Theory) for which AD has been produced, either domestically or for foreign
markets, but the service does not include the existing AD for these movies
or programs either; and

WHEREAS, the service also includes content from TNT and TBS, cable networks
that regularly air audio-described programming, but the AD for their
programs is not included as part of the service; and

WHEREAS, last year the national convention of this organization unanimously
passed Resolution 2019-21 demanding that HBO add AD for existing programming
and produce AD for new original programming, and subsequently President
Riccobono wrote a letter to HBO expressing this demand and including the
resolution, but no response has been received from any representative of HBO
or its parent companies; and

WHEREAS, HBO has provided no indication to the National Federation of the
Blind that any plans are in the works for any of HBO’s services to include
AD; and

WHEREAS, in failing to provide AD on any of its platforms, HBO has not only
failed to respond to the needs of blind Americans but, with respect to HBO
Max, has also failed to follow the lead of other streaming services such as
Netflix, Disney+, Apple TV+, Amazon Prime, Hulu, CBS All Access, Watch ABC,
and more; and

WHEREAS, the lack of audio description on both HBO and HBO Max continues to
mean that blind subscribers, while paying the same subscription fees for
access to HBO and/or HBO Max as subscribers without disabilities, do not
have equal access to its programming; and

WHEREAS, to add insult to injury, the HBO Max app for iOS devices is
completely inaccessible: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization condemn
and deplore the failure of HBO, Warner Media, and AT&T to provide audio
description for programming on the HBO channels and/or HBO Max or to engage
with us on this topic; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand HBO begin serious
discussions with the National Federation of the Blind with the goal of
producing a plan to include AD on HBO and HBO Max to the maximum extent
feasible, including, but not limited to, acquiring and/or applying existing
AD tracks available for the TV programs and movies that these services carry
and for which AD has already been produced, as well as contracting for AD to
be produced for all new programming currently being planned or in
production; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon all other major
streaming services that currently do not carry audio description to make
plans to include it in their offerings.


Resolution 2020-26: Regarding Smart City Technology


WHEREAS, a smart city is an urban area that uses information and
communication technologies (ICT) to collect data from citizens, devices,
buildings, and assets to improve city services and the lives of the citizens
and businesses that inhabit the city; and

WHEREAS, the key technology behind a smart city is an intelligent network of
connected devices and machines known as the Internet of Things (IoT), which
enables these “things” to connect and exchange data using wireless
technology and the cloud; and

WHEREAS, this sharing of information helps citizens, municipalities, and
enterprises improve the quality of a city’s infrastructure and services and
enhances citizen decision-making and welfare by, among other things,
monitoring and managing traffic and transportation systems, power plants,
utilities, water supply networks, waste management, crime detection
information systems, schools, libraries, hospitals, and other community
services; and

WHEREAS, the top ten United States cities already engaged in the exploration
and integration of Smart City technology are New York, New York; Cedar
Rapids, Iowa; Columbus, Ohio; LaGrange, Georgia; Fresno, California; San
Francisco, California; Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania; Louisville, Kentucky;
Austin, Texas; and Boulder, Colorado; and

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind is committed to ensuring the
rights of blind people to live, work, and play in our local communities; and

WHEREAS, the integration of innovative accessible technologies within
emerging Smart Cities offers an opportunity for blind people to have equal
access to essential information and resources; and 

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind effectively partners with many
ICT developers, including developers of innovative wayfinding technology, to
create a variety of tools, technologies, and strategies that allow blind
people to access information to, among other things, facilitate safe and
independent travel; and

WHEREAS, many city planners and developers without knowledge of these
innovative tools and technologies often introduce features deemed to offer
greater accessibility that instead create segregated experiences for blind
people and people with other disabilities, such as restrictive truncated
dome pathways or ramps located in the rear of buildings; and

WHEREAS, the same technologies being used by the sighted can be developed to
be used nonvisually by the blind with little or no additional cost when
accessibility is taken into consideration during the design phase, and the
resulting technology often enhances the ability for the sighted to obtain
access to valuable information; and

WHEREAS, the integration of accessibility features into wayfinding
technology can be accomplished in a manner that is both aesthetically
pleasing and functional through approaches such as the use of different
textures for walking surfaces and the use of green space and ornamentation
offering tactile and audio cues for blind people to travel safely and
independently without creating a separate environment or requiring separate
maintenance: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization call on
developers of the technology being replaced in our cities and/or being used
in the new development of infrastructure and community services to consult
with the National Federation of the Blind to ensure the accessibility,
appropriate implementation, and proper installation of such Smart City
technology into public spaces; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Federation of the Blind urge city
planners and city developers to consult with members of the National
Federation of the Blind during the process of developing and planning
implementation of new Smart City technologies concerning the accessibility,
appropriateness, and utility of the proposed technologies, including
wayfinding technologies.


Resolution 2020-27: Regarding the Americans with Disabilities Act at Thirty


WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA) is the result of
years of advocacy by individuals and organizations, including the National
Federation of the Blind, which make up the United States disability rights
movement; and

WHEREAS, the ADA is a comprehensive civil rights law that prohibits
discrimination based on disability in all areas of public life and
guarantees people with disabilities equal access to employment, state and
local governments, and places of public accommodation; and

WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind has helped to create
high-impact change and build legal precedence under the ADA that further
advance the rights of all individuals with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, there are employers, state and local governments, and places of
public accommodation that have yet to comply with the ADA to the detriment
of the blind and other people with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, a small group of plaintiffs and attorneys have exploited the ADA’s
private right of action by filing rapid-succession lawsuits and entering
into confidential settlement agreements that limit systemic change prompting
some elected officials to propose, and in some cases enact, harmful
limitations to the ADA’s scope; and

WHEREAS, critical guidance regarding web accessibility for public entities
and places of public accommodation remains notably absent from the ADA’s
regulations: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization, in
acknowledgement and honor of the thirtieth anniversary of the ADA, call upon
Congress and the United States Department of Justice to maintain the
integrity and intent of the ADA and to update regulations on a timely basis
so that they reflect the manner in which members of the general public live
their lives, including in the areas of web accessibility; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we demand employers, state and local
governments, and places of public accommodation that do not yet comply with
the ADA take immediate action to implement policies and procedures that
align with the ADA’s requirements, and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we urge all disability rights lawyers,
plaintiffs, and advocates to use the ADA, not for short-term personal and
financial gain, but rather to pursue systemic change that further expands
the rights of people with disabilities and their integration into all
aspects of daily life.


Resolution 2020-28: Regarding the Accessibility of American Radio Relay
League’s Digital Content 


WHEREAS, the American Radio Relay League (ARRL) is the preeminent
organization of amateur radio operators in the United States; and

WHEREAS, the ARRL has avoided making its principal magazine, QST, available
to its blind members because the National Library Service for the Blind and
Print Disabled (NLS), a program of the Library of Congress, has published
this magazine in an accessible format; and

WHEREAS, this practice continued even though the ARRL has been publishing
QST on the web for several years; and

WHEREAS, the NLS version of QST is not as timely as the ARRL’s web version
and does not contain all of the information that the web version contains,
which places blind ham radio operators at a disadvantage; and

WHEREAS, since nonvisually accessible publishing software exists, the
National Federation of the Blind’s Amateur Radio Division has approached
several of the ARRL’s directors and vice directors requesting that the web
edition of QST be published with nonvisually accessible software, but thus
far has been met with avoidance, stalling tactics, and referrals to staff,
and therefore no action has been taken to date; and
WHEREAS, this year the ARRL published three more of its magazines on the
web, still in an inaccessible format, released nonvisually accessible apps,
while proclaiming that all its members can read and use all four of its
magazines on the web or on the app: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization condemn
and deplore the discriminatory behavior of ARRL toward its blind members by
refusing to provide accessible digital content; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that ARRL immediately
adopt policies and procedures to ensure that all present and future digital
content be published in an accessible format on all of its platforms.


Resolution 2020-29: Regarding Emergency COVID-19 Relief Funding for Blind
Randolph-Sheppard Entrepreneurs


WHEREAS, the Randolph-Sheppard Act affords over 1,800 blind entrepreneurs
the opportunity to manage and operate vending facilities in government
buildings; and,

WHEREAS, the vast majority of these businesses were shut down or had sales
drastically reduced as a result of the COVID-19 pandemic; and,

WHEREAS, the United States House of Representatives included $20,000,000 in
the Fiscal Year 2021 Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and
Education Funding Bill to provide relief to the Randolph-Sheppard
entrepreneurs negatively affected by the pandemic; and,

WHEREAS, the United States Senate has not yet included this one-time
appropriation in its version of the bill: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
assembled this eighteenth day of July, 2020, that this organization thank
and commend Representative Nita Lowey, Chair of the House Committee on
Appropriations, and Representative Rosa DeLauro, Chair of the Subcommittee
on Labor, Health and Human Services, Education, and Related Agencies, for
including this funding for Randolph-Sheppard entrepreneurs; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Federation of the Blind urge the
United States Senate to include this same funding in its Fiscal Year 2021
Departments of Labor, Health and Human Services, and Education Funding Bill.


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