[Njagdu] [Fwd: [nagdu] Resolution Concerning Service Animals]

Thu Jul 1 02:31:44 UTC 2010

I agree.

Suzanne
  -----Original Message-----
  From: njagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:njagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org]On
Behalf Of Lynn Reynolds
  Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 7:00 PM
  To: New Jersey Association of Guide Dog Users
  Subject: Re: [Njagdu] [Fwd: [nagdu] Resolution Concerning Service Animals]

  Hi Vinnie,
  This resolution is excellent, I honestly don't think that there would be
too much to change.  It should be pretty easy to adapt it to our state for
convention.
  Lynn
    ----- Original Message -----
    From: Vincent Chaney
    To: New Jersey Association of Guide Dog Users
    Cc: Joe Ruffalo
    Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 11:52 AM
    Subject: Re: [Njagdu] [Fwd: [nagdu] Resolution Concerning Service
Animals]

    Tracy,

    Thank you for following up on keeping the NJAGDU membership up-to-date
on what is happening on the NAGDU list. Personally I know I would not have
known until I was at the convention and at the Resolution Committee as I am
presenting another resolution dealing with the NFB DAN (Diabetes Action
Network).
    If we need to bring this onto our state level, this document would be a
good starting place for us to work with.

    Vinny
    Vincent Chaney Jr
    NFB Diabetes Action Network (DAN) Board of Directors
    NFBNJ Diabetes Division President
    NJAGDU Division President
    NFBNJ Technology Division Vice President
    NFBNJ.ORG Webmaster

      ----- Original Message -----
      From: Tracy Carcione
      To: njagdu at nfbnet.org
      Sent: Wednesday, June 30, 2010 10:58 AM
      Subject: [Njagdu] [Fwd: [nagdu] Resolution Concerning Service Animals]

      Below is a message our NAGDU president, Marion Gwizdala, sent to the
NAGDU
      list regarding a resolution he is bringing to the national convention.
      Tracy

      ---------------------------- Original
Message ----------------------------
      Subject: [nagdu] Resolution Concerning Service Animals
      From:    "Marion Gwizdala" <blind411 at verizon.net>
      Date:    Tue, June 29, 2010 8:49 pm
      To:      "NAGDU List" <nagdu at nfbnet.org>
               ""FLAGDU List"" <FLAGDU at NFBNET.ORG>
      ----------------------------------------------------------------------
----

      Dear All,
          Pasted below and attached to this message is a resolution we will
      present at the 2010 annual meeting of the National Association of
      Guide Dog Users and to the general assembly. Please take the time to
      read this resolution and ask any questions you may have. The
      membership will be asked to vote on endorsing this resolution before
      it is presented to the entire convention.

      fraternally yours,
      Marion Gwizdala, President
      National Association of Guide Dog Users
      National Federation of the Blind
      813-626-2789
      Blind411 at Verizon.net

      RESOLUTION 2010-XX

      Regarding Civil Rights Protection of Blind Persons

      and Their Service Animals in Public Accommodations

      Proponent: Marion Gwizdala

      WHEREAS, the purpose of the National Federation of the Blind is "the
      removal of the legal, social, and economic barriers faced by the
blind" so
      that we will achieve "full integration into society on terms of
equality";
      and

      WHEREAS, discrimination by places of public accommodation is one of
the
      barriers faced by the blind, especially among those who choose to use
a
      guide dog as their mobility tool; and

      WHEREAS, state laws vary in the protection from discrimination that
they
      offer to their blind citizens; and

      WHEREAS, the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) prohibits
      discrimination on the basis of disability in public accommodations and
      offers greater protection against discrimination than many state laws;
and

      WHEREAS, many states have laws that contain provisions that are
      incongruent with the ADA, such as requirements that service animals
must
      wear specific gear, provisions for muzzling, requirements for
      documentation, language concerning certifications that do not exist,
and
      prohibitions of service animals in zoos, all of which are considered
      discriminatory under the ADA; and

      WHEREAS, although the ADA has been in existence for twenty years, many
      states have not bothered to change their laws to conform with the ADA;
and

      WHEREAS, a large majority of states provide criminal penalties for
      discrimination on the basis of disability, allowing law enforcement to
      intervene, generally resulting in an immediate resolution of such
access
      issues, while providing appropriate penalties for more serious
      infractions; and

      WHEREAS, criminal penalties allow for a more expeditious resolution of
      such access issues (benefiting the disabled community, in general, and
      society as a whole) by addressing discrimination at the local level,
while
      relieving individuals from the burden of costly litigation and
prolonged
      civil processes:  Now, therefore,

      BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind in Convention
      assembled this seventh day of July, 2010, in the city of Dallas,
Texas,
      that this organization call upon state legislatures to examine their
      statutes for parity with the ADA, removing provisions that are not in
      conformity with this Federal law; and

      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon the remaining
      states that do not provide criminal penalties for discrimination
against
      blind guide dog users to more effectively promote and protect the
equal
      rights of their blind citizens by creating criminal penalties for acts
of
      discrimination; and

      BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization urge all states to
protect
      the civil rights of the blind by vigorous enforcement of the law.
      _______________________________________________
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ss.net

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