[Ohio-Talk] NFB of Ohio State Convention Resolutions

[bullis.michael at gmail.com]

Hello Colleagues:

We have received two resolutions for consideration at this year’s State
convention.  I post them below.  If you have any corrections or suggested
additions, please send them to me at bullis.michael at gmail.com
<mailto:bullis.michael at gmail.com> 

As a reminder, the Resolutions Committee will mee on Friday at 6:00 PM in
the Bradley room.

 

RESOLUTION 2025-01

Regarding the Reductions in Force at the United States Department of
Education

 

WHEREAS, the United States Department of Education administers programs
essential to promote education, independence, and economic opportunity for
millions of blind Americans; and

 

WHEREAS, contained within the Department of Education is the Office for
Civil Rights (OCR) and the Office of Special Education and Rehabilitative
Services (OSERS), which houses the Office of Special Education Programs
(OSEP) and the Rehabilitation Services Administration (RSA), all of which
provide essential resources to aid blind Americans in our pursuit of
education and employment; and 

 

WHEREAS, these divisions are responsible for the enforcement and oversight
of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) (20 U.S.C. § 1400
et seq.), vocational rehabilitation services (29 U.S.C. § 701 et seq.), the
Randolph-Sheppard program (20 U.S.C. § 107 et seq.), and the Independent
Living Services for Older Individuals who are Blind (OIB) program (29 U.S.C.
796j-796l), as well as enforcement of Title II of the Americans with
Disabilities Act and Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act; and

 

WHEREAS, at 12:00 a.m. on October 1, 2025, after the United States Congress
failed to pass either a budget bill or a continuing resolution, the Federal
Government was shut down due to lack of funding; and 

 

WHEREAS, on October 10, 2025, during the Federal Government shutdown,
Reduction in Force (RIF) notices were issued to OSERS and OCR employees,
which decimated both offices to the point of practically eliminating them;
and 

 

WHEREAS, the elimination of OSERS will cause a loss of institutional
knowledge, possible disruption in the distribution of federal funding that
helps supplement critical state programs, and a loss of administrative
support and technical assistance for IDEA programs, Rehabilitation Act of
1973 programs, and the Randolph-Sheppard Program; and

 

WHEREAS, the elimination of the OCR will cause a severe reduction in the
capacity to investigate and enforce both Section 504 of the Rehabilitation
Act of 1973 and Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, which
prohibit discrimination on the basis of disability in educational
institutions that are funded at the federal, state, and local levels; and 

 

WHEREAS, Vocational Rehabilitation programs are extremely efficient, as a
study published by Associate Professor Michelle Yin of Northwestern
University in 2024 “suggests that every dollar invested in VR services
results in a return of $21.5 over a 43-year working lifespan for VR
clients”; and

 

WHEREAS, without these protection and enforcement mechanisms, blind
students, employees, and entrepreneurs will be left vulnerable to
discrimination: Now, therefore

 

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, in
convention assembled this 9th  day of November, in the city of Westlake
Ohio, that this organization urge the administration to immediately rescind
the Reduction in Force orders issued to the Office of Special Education and
Rehabilitative Services and the Office for Civil Rights on October 10, 2025;
and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand the Department of
Education ensure that there is adequate staffing to fulfill its statutory
requirement to administer the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act,
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, the Randolph-Sheppard Program, and the
Americans with Disabilities Act; and

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand the Department of
Education promptly distribute all funds appropriated by Congress and
associated with the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act and the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973, helping ensure that blind Americans can continue
to achieve our dreams of education and employment. 

****

Vending Priority in Ohio

Resolution 2025-02

WHEREAS, the Ohio Department of Administrative Services (DAS), which manages
the Rhodes State Office Tower in downtown Columbus, has entered into an
illegal contractual agreement with Traveling Tom’s Coffee to operate a
coffee bar in the building’s basement, and, 

 

WHEREAS, this action contravenes Ohio’s Mini Randolph-Shephard Act, which
mandates that all state properties must notify the Bureau of Services for
the Visually Impaired (BSVI) when considering new opportunities for vending
or food service operations. BSVI is then responsible for evaluating whether
the opportunity is suitable for a licensed blind vendor to manage; and,

 

WHEREAS, in this case, DAS did not follow the required procedures for the
coffee business and has engaged in an illegal contractual relationship with
Tom’s Coffee; and,

 

Whereas, there are currently two blind vendors in the Rhodes State Office
building whose income will be reduced by allowing an illegal coffee vendor
in the building;

 

NOW THEREFORE,

 

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio, in
convention Assembled this 9th day of November in the city of Westlake Ohio,
that we demand that the Department of Administrative Services of Ohio
immediately rescind its illegal contract with Tom’s Coffee; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that we will work proactively with the Bureau of
Services for the Blind and Visually Impaired (BSVI), to see that The Ohio
Mini-Randolph-Sheppard State law is fully enforced, up to and including
seeking an injunction to stop DAS from implementing this illegal contract;
and,

 

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio
will take all necessary actions, including press communications and legal
action to seek full compliance by the State of Ohio with the
mini-Randolph-Sheppard law.

 

 

 

 

 

Michael Bullis

Organization Support Services,

Direct phone: 443-286-9001

Address

5665 E. Clinton St.,

Albany Ohio 45710

 

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