[Nfbv-announce] Today's Vote in the General Assembly

[Fredric Schroeder]

The note below is from Commissioner Ray Hopkins. It appears that we have
been successful in stopping the merger of the Virginia Department for the
Blind and Vision Impaired into the new disability agency. This will become
official when the conference committee report is formally released, but all
indications are that our efforts have resulted in maintaining a separate
agency for the blind in Virginia. Special thanks go to Mark Roane for
coordinating our advocacy work.

Fred Schroeder, President
National Federation of the Blind of Virginia

-----Original Message-----
From: Hopkins, Raymond E. (DBVI) [mailto:Ray.Hopkins at dbvi.virginia.gov] 
Sent: Saturday, March 10, 2012 10:03 PM
To: 
Cc: 
Subject: Today's Vote in the General Assembly


All:

I'm sharing with you news that appears to be reliable regarding today's
General Assembly action on HB 1291 and SB 678. We've been advised by two
sources who have heard directly from members of the conference committee
that the conference report didn't include DBVI as part of the new agency.
House and Senate Conference Committee reports on HB1291, SB678,
HJR49 and SJR66 were approved this afternoon by each respective chamber.
The bottom line is that the Conference Committee did not recommend
consolidation of the Virginia Department for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing
(VDDHH) or the Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (VDBVI)
into the new agency.

This bill now awaits action by the Governor. The bill addresses many of the
reforms sought by the administration and we'll know the final disposition
soon.

The consumers who engaged in the civic process and expressed their views
appear to have been heard. Our job is to live up to the confidence they've
displayed towards our Department.

We'll keep you posted.

Ray

Raymond E. Hopkins, Commissioner
Virginia Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired
397 Azalea Avenue
Richmond, VA 23227
Phone: (804) 371-3145
Toll Free (in Virginia): (800) 622-2155
Fax: (804) 371-3157
E-mail: Ray.Hopkins at dbvi.virginia.gov