<html xmlns:v="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:vml" xmlns:o="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:office" xmlns:w="urn:schemas-microsoft-com:office:word" xmlns:m="http://schemas.microsoft.com/office/2004/12/omml" xmlns="http://www.w3.org/TR/REC-html40"><head><meta http-equiv=Content-Type content="text/html; charset=utf-8"><meta name=Generator content="Microsoft Word 15 (filtered medium)"><base href="https://www.iowapublicradio.org/state-government-news/2023-02-23/blind-iowans-concerned-about-governors-proposal-to-appoint-department-for-the-blind-director"><title>Blind Iowans concerned about governor's proposal to appoint Department for the Blind director | Iowa Public Radio</title><style><!--
/* Font Definitions */
@font-face
{font-family:"Cambria Math";
panose-1:2 4 5 3 5 4 6 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:Calibri;
panose-1:2 15 5 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:"Calibri Light";
panose-1:2 15 3 2 2 2 4 3 2 4;}
@font-face
{font-family:-apple-system-font;}
/* Style Definitions */
p.MsoNormal, li.MsoNormal, div.MsoNormal
{margin:0in;
font-size:11.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;}
h1
{mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 1 Char";
mso-margin-top-alt:auto;
margin-right:0in;
mso-margin-bottom-alt:auto;
margin-left:0in;
font-size:24.0pt;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
font-weight:bold;}
a:link, span.MsoHyperlink
{mso-style-priority:99;
color:blue;
text-decoration:underline;}
span.Heading1Char
{mso-style-name:"Heading 1 Char";
mso-style-priority:9;
mso-style-link:"Heading 1";
font-family:"Calibri Light",sans-serif;
color:#2F5496;}
span.EmailStyle20
{mso-style-type:personal-reply;
font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;
color:windowtext;}
.MsoChpDefault
{mso-style-type:export-only;
font-size:10.0pt;}
@page WordSection1
{size:8.5in 11.0in;
margin:1.0in 1.0in 1.0in 1.0in;}
div.WordSection1
{page:WordSection1;}
--></style><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapedefaults v:ext="edit" spidmax="1026" />
</xml><![endif]--><!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
<o:shapelayout v:ext="edit">
<o:idmap v:ext="edit" data="1" />
</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Good Morning All:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>We have made tremendous progress on making our voices heard. Here’s a media piece I received from Iowa Public Radio thanks to Chris Danielsen. We can’t stop now though. It is critical that we continue to contact the Senate and ramp up efforts in the House. Please reach out with any questions!<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>  <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'>Scott Van Gorp, President<br>National Federation of the Blind of Iowa<br>Phone: 515-720-5282<br></span><a href="mailto:svangorp@nfbi.org"><span style='color:#0563C1'>Email</span></a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><a href="http://www.nfbi.org/"><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1'>Website</span></i></a><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <br></span></i><a href="https://www.facebook.com/National-Federation-Of-the-Blind-Of-Iowa-372681823082570/posts"><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1'>Facebook</span></i></a><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <br></span></i><a href="https://twitter.com/nfb_iowa"><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif;color:#0563C1'>Twitter</span></i></a><i><span style='font-family:"Arial",sans-serif'> <br>Live the life you want.<br></span></i><br>The National Federation of the Blind of Iowa is a community of members and friends who believe in the hopes and dreams of the nation’s blind. Every day we work together to help blind people live the lives they want.<o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> Danielsen, Chris <CDanielsen@nfb.org> <br><b>Sent:</b> Friday, February 24, 2023 8:35 AM<br><b>Subject:</b> Blind Iowans concerned about governor's proposal to appoint Department for the Blind director | Iowa Public Radio<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:12.0pt'><br><a href="https://www.iowapublicradio.org/state-government-news/2023-02-23/blind-iowans-concerned-about-governors-proposal-to-appoint-department-for-the-blind-director">https://www.iowapublicradio.org/state-government-news/2023-02-23/blind-iowans-concerned-about-governors-proposal-to-appoint-department-for-the-blind-director</a><o:p></o:p></p></div><div id=article><div><h1 style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:0in;margin-bottom:6.0pt;margin-left:0in;mso-line-height-alt:14.55pt'><span style='font-size:25.5pt;font-family:-apple-system-font'>Blind Iowans concerned about governor's proposal to appoint Department for the Blind director</span><o:p></o:p></h1><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width:100%'><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:-apple-system-font'>Blind Iowans are expressing concerns to lawmakers that <a href="https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ba=HSB126&ga=90" target="_blank"><span style='color:#416ED2'>the governor’s plan</span></a> to streamline state government would lead to worse services for the blind community.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width:100%'><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:-apple-system-font'>The director of the Iowa Department for the Blind is chosen by the Commission for the Blind. Gov. Kim Reynolds’ bill would change that so she would appoint the director.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width:100%'><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:-apple-system-font'>“With this proposed legislation, the director will now be appointed by and serve at the pleasure of the governor and be subject to Senate confirmation,†said Molly Severn, the lobbyist for Reynolds’ office. “If Iowans currently perceive a government official to be accountable to the governor, that official should be.â€</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width:100%'><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:-apple-system-font'>Enrique Mejia of Des Moines, who is blind, said he is strongly opposed to that change. He said Iowa’s services for blind people are nationally recognized and made it possible for him to get a full-time job, which he described as one of his proudest moments.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width:100%'><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:-apple-system-font'>“I can make money on my own,†Mejia said. “And to the governor’s office I say, do you know why? Because there were people who were blind who understood blindness, who told me it was okay to be blind.â€</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width:100%'><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:-apple-system-font'>Mejia said he fears what would happen to services for blind Iowans if the department’s director isn’t chosen by people who understand blindness.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width:100%'><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:-apple-system-font'>Several other blind Iowans shared similar concerns at House subcommittee hearings Wednesday and Thursday.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width:100%'><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:-apple-system-font'>Scott Van Gorp, the president of the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa, said the commission should continue to have the power to appoint and remove the IDB director.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width:100%'><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:-apple-system-font'>“If it is left up to the governor or his/her designee, we can’t guarantee the level of services that blind Iowans are accustomed to today,†Van Gorp said. “We would not be able to guarantee the right to successful gainful employment, the right to proper training and techniques to live independently, the right to be productive members of society.â€</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width:100%'><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:-apple-system-font'>Democratic and Republican lawmakers have expressed interest in removing that part of the bill and allowing the commission to continue choosing the director of the Iowa Department for the Blind.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width:100%'><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:-apple-system-font'>“My father is near blind,†said Rep. David Young, R-Van Meter. “And you make a strong case with reason and rationale—and your emotion, I share with you—you make a strong case to keep the commission remaining and involved in selecting your director.â€</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width:100%'><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:-apple-system-font'>Rep. Amy Nielsen, D-North Liberty, said Iowa’s government exists to protect Iowans, not serve the governor.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width:100%'><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:-apple-system-font'>“The Democrats will work hard to make sure division 13 is out of here and you guys can continue to get the world class care and services that you need,†she said.</span><o:p></o:p></p><p style='line-height:18.0pt;max-width:100%'><span style='font-size:13.0pt;font-family:-apple-system-font'>Iowa House lawmakers had not completed a series of subcommittee hearings on Reynolds’ government reorganization bill as of Thursday afternoon. A Senate committee advanced the approximately <a href="https://www.legis.iowa.gov/legislation/BillBook?ba=HSB126&ga=90" target="_blank"><span style='color:#416ED2'>1,500-page bill</span></a> Wednesday.</span><o:p></o:p></p></div></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p></div></div></body></html>