[NFBF-L] Legislative Alert!!! Florida Senate Bill 792

[president at nfbflorida.org]

Greetings Florida: 

 

The National Federation of the Blind believes that with proper training and
access to accessible tools, blind and low vision people can be successful in
the communities where we live. It has come to our attention that legislation
has been filed in the Florida Legislature that could undermine access to
properly trained Rehabilitation Specialists in our Community Rehabilitation
Programs (CRP). Florida Senate Bill 792 was filed on December 8, 2025 and
the Florida Legislative Session opens on Tuesday, January 6, 2026. While
there are a multitude of reasons we oppose this filed legislation, we will
highlight two specific reasons. 

 

We are asking our members to reach out to their state legislature members,
both House and Senate, to express our opposition to this legislation. We
oppose on two fronts: 

*	Temporary Waiver: We strongly oppose waiving the certification
requirements for any facility or person who will be training blind and low
vision people. These Rehabilitation Specialists are tasked with training
blind and low vision people to be successful, educated and employable
citizens. CRPs and their specialists should have the capability and capacity
to be fully certified before they begin training blind and low vision
people. 
*	Lack of Consultation with Consumer Organizations of the Blind: The
National Federation of the Blind of Florida has worked for the last two
years with the Florida Council of the Blind and Blind Services Foundation
collaboratively to advance the issues of importance to blind and low vision
Floridians. This legislation was created without the input of the clients it
would serve and lacks the insights and lived experiences of blind and low
vision people that would craft successful training programs for us. 

 

The 2026 Florida Legislative Session opens on Tuesday, January 6, 2026 and
we wish to make a strong opposition to Florida Senate Bill 792. As of right
now, this bill has been filed in the Florida Senate and we must work to have
this bill withdrawn or decrease its support amongst the legislature. Passage
of this bill will have a detrimental effect on our access to appropriate and
successful training programs from our local CRPs. When you contact your
members of the state legislature, you may say (or email) something like: 

 

Dear (insert legislator's name): 

 

My name is [insert name] and I am live in [insert city, state]. I am a
member of the National Federation of the Blind of Florida. I am reaching out
to you because of Florida Senate Bill 792, filed on December 8, 2025. This
bill would make changes to my access to services from Community
Rehabilitation Programs, agencies and organizations tasked with training
blind and low vision people for future success. The legislation would allow
for these programs to be allowed to train blind and low vision people, even
if the trainers do not have the required certifications to teach those
skills. Additionally, I strongly object to any agency or organization that
is supposed to train me to live independently and successfully, get me
job-ready to enter the workforce or provide services to children without
obtaining the required certifications to do so. 

 

I am seeking your support to protect those programs that train us to be
productive, job-seeking, independent Floridians. 

 

Sincerely,

[insert name] 

[insert any NFB titles] 

 

 

  Camille Tate, president

National Federation of the Blind of Florida 

Board of Directors 

 <http://www.nfbflorida.org/> www.nfbflorida.org

Tel: 321.372.4899

 

With love, hope and determination, we transform dreams into reality.

 

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