The following resolutions will be heard and voted on during the ACB business meeting to be held Thursday, June 22 at 7:00 PM Central Time on Zoom and ACB Media 1.
Resolution 2023-13 Ride-sharing and communication
Submitted by: Guillermo Robles, Steve Bauer and the California Council of the Blind
Whereas, on-demand transportation services such as Lyft and Uber have had an extremely positive impact on the independence of people who are blind or have low vision across the country; and,
Whereas, the use of these services requires effective, direct, and clear communication between driver and passenger; and
Whereas, a passenger who is blind or has low vision is negatively impacted by language barriers and absence of verbal communication; and
Whereas, the lack of effective, direct, and clear communication has resulted in the following:
- Unmet requests for a driver to communicate verbally to the passenger of their presence and to identify their location;
- Failure of a driver to follow passenger instructions;
- Passengers being dropped off in incorrect and often unsafe locations.
Now, therefore be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled that this organization initiate discussion with said service providers to seek changes in the service platform in order to allow passengers who are blind or have low vision to communicate their preferred language and to ensure that drivers who may take their ride requests are limited to those who speak the preferred language of the passenger who is blind or has low vision.
End of Resolution 2023-13
2023-14 Ride-Share Denials of Service to Guide Dog Users
Submitted by Guide Dog Users, Inc.
Whereas, ever since the ride-share companies began making rides available to the general public, guide dog users have experienced denials of service from drivers who refused to provide service to individuals who are accompanied by guide dogs; and
Whereas, despite many complaints having been filed with the ride-share companies, as well as with the U.S. Department of Justice over many years, and despite legal actions having been taken by blind and low vision individuals who have been denied service, as well as by organizations representing people with disabilities, and despite settlements having been reached, ride-share drivers persist in discriminating against guide dog users by denying them service; and
Whereas, Guide Dog Users, Inc. (GDUI) and the American Council of the Blind (ACB) recently conducted an online survey asking members to report any denial-of-service complaints filed with the ride-share companies and with the U.S. Department of Justice between November 11 and December 31, 2022 which found that 80 individual complaints had been filed over a period of just six weeks; and
Whereas, on January 31, 2023, GDUI and ACB shared these survey results which confirm continued and ongoing discrimination by ride-share drivers against survey respondents. GDUI and ACB asked the Civil Rights Division in the Department of Justice to conduct a pattern of practice investigation, and receipt of the request was acknowledged by the department;
Now therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled that the American Council of the Blind and its affiliate, Guide Dog Users, Inc. request that the U.S. Department of Justice judiciously determine whether the ongoing lack of effective action by ride-share companies to prevent drivers from denying service to guide dog users equals a discriminatory pattern of practice, as defined under the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 (ADA); and
Be it further resolved that GDUI and ACB strongly urge the U.S. Department of Justice to take immediate action to address this ongoing pattern of illegal discrimination.
End of Resolution 2023-14
2023-15 Air Travel Attestation Forms
Submitted by Guide Dog Users, Inc.
Whereas, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) promulgated regulations in 2020 that allow airlines to require passengers traveling with guide or service dogs to fill out and submit forms prior to travel attesting to the good health, training and appropriate behavior of their dogs; and
Whereas, airlines operating in the U.S. have now taken advantage of the opportunity to require passengers traveling with guide and service dogs to submit these forms; and
Whereas, two years after the imposition of these requirements, Guide Dog Users, Inc. (GDUI) continues to receive reports from passengers who travel with guide dogs that they are unable to independently complete and submit the required forms because airline websites continue to present accessibility barriers for screen reader users; and
Whereas, GDUI continues to receive reports from guide dog users that when they contact airlines by telephone, approach gate agents in person to ask questions about the required forms, or request assistance with completing the forms, they have received inaccurate information or inadequate assistance; and
Whereas, inconsistencies across the airline industry with regard to the content and implementation of the current attestation forms means that passengers with disabilities bear a burden that is unreasonable, and in some cases, insurmountable;
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled that GDUI and ACB strongly urge DOT to rescind the current attestation form requirements; and
Be it further resolved that if the DOT refuses to rescind the attestation requirements, GDUI and ACB insist that the only questions an airline should be allowed to ask a person with a disability are whether the service dog is required due to a disability, and whether it is trained to perform a specified task for the passenger in order to mitigate that disability.
End of Resolution 2023-15
Resolution 2023-16 - ACVREP and OT Certification
Submitted by Michael Byington and others
Whereas, the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) was established in order to enhance the stature and recognition of the highly specialized professional disciplines in the field of blindness and visual impairment; and
Whereas, ACVREP's role is to ensure that available certification options, and the particular requirements for specific practices, reflect and preserve consensus concerning the need for and value of specialized services provided by properly prepared professionals; and
Whereas, it is essential for ACVREP to embrace a continuum of specialized services without certifying practitioners who are not primarily involved in serving people with vision loss; and
Whereas, without consultation from the American Council of the Blind (ACB) and other stakeholders, ACVREP recently announced determination to establish a new certification open only to occupational therapists (OTs) who acquire vision-related training to provide specialized services; and,
Whereas, if this certification effort is to continue, ACVREP should demonstrate a compelling justification for this additional certification;
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled that this organization call upon the staff and board of ACVREP to formally act to suspend any further development of a new OT certification until further input is sought from stakeholders in order to determine whether such a certification is indeed in the best interests of the overall field of specialized services for the blind and visually impaired.
End of resolution 2023-16