[Ohio-Talk] Resolutions for review

[Barbara Shaidnagle]

I do not have netflix but I  have written some companies about their
ignoring our request for descriptive video.  Since Netflix is ib Ca I even
tweeted Sen Warren about reaching out to them in this matter...

On Fri, Jul 17, 2020 at 9:26 AM Suzanne Turner via Ohio-Talk <
ohio-talk at nfbnet.org> wrote:

> 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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