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2017 Resolutions

Note: This publication reflects the resolutions which were adopted by the convention.  Below are the links to the summaries of the 2017 resolutions as well as links to the full text of each.  You may also choose the "printer-friendly version" link at the end for a full document of all resolutions.

Table of Contents

Summary of 2017 Resolutions

The following are brief summaries of the resolutions adopted by the ACB membership at the 2017 conference and convention held at the Nugget Casino and Resort in July. One resolution was referred to ACB’s environmental access and information access committees. It is not included in this compilation. Please note that these summary statements are not the authoritative voice of the ACB membership; they are simply intended to capture the overall scope and intent of the membership as authoritatively embodied in the full text of each of the resolutions. You can find the full text of resolutions at www.acb.org/resolutions2017.
 
Resolution 2017-01 directs ACB to strongly urge the Federal Communications Commission to exercise all appropriate authority to require the broadcast and non-broadcast networks to establish and/or join an automated digital listing of all available audio-described programming, and directs the FCC to monitor those listings on an ongoing basis for quality assurance and to ensure that such listings provide consumers of audio-described programming with a level of service equal to that provided today to consumers of closed-captioned television.
 
Resolution 2017-02 instructs ACB to strongly urge the FCC commissioners to order an increase in the total number of required hours of audio description up to the CVAA’s allowable statutory maximum.
 
Resolution 2017-03 directs that ACB join with the American Council of Blind Lions to congratulate Lions Clubs International on its 100th anniversary of service.
 
Resolution 2017-04 instructs ACB to demand that the U.S. Department of Education declare in unambiguous terms that states’ and districts’ imposition of restrictions limiting the provision of the instruction and services comprising the Expanded Core Curriculum to school grounds and/or during normal school hours severely impairs, if not outright denies, the right of students with vision loss to a truly free and appropriate public education.
 
Resolution 2017-05 directs ACB to call upon the U.S. Department of Transportation to issue regulations strengthening the rights of passengers with service animals by aligning them with the service animal rules already promulgated by the U.S. Department of Justice  so as to reduce the fraud and abuse of service animal misrepresentation; and to collaborate with Guide Dog Users, Inc., to ensure that airlines improve quality of customer service by airline staff, the effectiveness of complaint resolution officers, and airlines’ overall commitment to the rights and responsibilities of passengers with service animals so as to honor the dignity with which all passengers deserve to travel, free of harassment and abuse.
 
Resolution 2017-06 instructs ACB to join with its affiliate, Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America, in urging, in the strongest terms possible, that micromarket manufacturers make these facilities fully accessible to consumers and operators who are blind or who have low vision; to offer micromarket manufacturers the assistance of the information access committee to achieve the goals of this resolution in the most expeditious manner possible; and, if the micromarket manufacturers fail to use their best efforts to ensure the full accessibility of micromarkets at the earliest possible time, that ACB demand that state licensing agencies refuse to allow the use of micromarkets in the business enterprise program.
 
Resolution 2017-07 directs ACB to strongly urge Amtrak to include the disability discount as one of the options when purchasing a ticket using a smartphone app.
 
Resolution 2017-08 tells ACB to instruct its transportation committee to work with state and local affiliates to ensure that local entities responsible for paratransit services adopt a door-to-door service policy.
 
Resolution 2017-09 instructs ACB and the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America to work with the U.S. Congress to ensure that current and future Business Enterprise Program roadside rest areas are protected.
 
Resolution 2017-10 commends the work of ACB’s officers, directors, staff and members for their efforts to hold makers of autonomous vehicles accountable for ensuring the full accessibility of such vehicles to people who are blind or visually impaired; directs the officers, directors and staff to advocate for autonomous vehicle accessibility while also enlisting the vehicles’ manufacturers as champions to partner with ACB to surmount other known and potential roadblocks, such as overbroad state drivers licensing schemes, which may impede or bar people with vision loss from having the full enjoyment and benefit of autonomous vehicles; and directs ACB to call upon the vehicles’ developers to partner with manufacturers of personal wayfinding technology so that these two game-changing technologies will be on course to provide people with vision loss with a fully integrated travel experience.
 
Resolution 2017-11 instructs ACB to communicate to proponents of autonomous vehicle legislation currently under consideration in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives that the American Council of the Blind will voice its deep disappointment with, if not opposition to, any package of legislative proposals that grants flexibility, incentives and/or exemptions to the autonomous vehicle industry but that fails to at least initiate a meaningful process, with measurable outcomes, for establishing user interface accessibility requirements on autonomous vehicle manufacturers. It also directs ACB to urge Congress to guide states in the exercise of their traditional roles in setting basic licensing requirements so as to honor the federal constitutional right to travel which people who are blind or visually impaired must be allowed to enjoy on an equal basis with our sighted fellow citizens.
 
Resolution 2017-12 directs ACB to make it a priority to participate in Goal One of the American Foundation for the Blind’s 21st Century Agenda on Aging and Vision Loss to address the critical national need for dramatically increased, and better leveraged, funding for services to older individuals who are blind or visually impaired; to make it a national legislative imperative to advocate for a substantial increase in the level of federal funding for the OIB program; to encourage state chapters to work with other appropriate stakeholders to make more state dollars available to address this acute crisis of resources; and directs the officers, directors and staff to make finding better ways to create resources to serve older people with vision loss a priority over the next year. 
 
Resolution 2017-13 declares ACB’s opposition to the establishment and use of a unifying title to refer to each of the professional disciplines serving children, working-age adults, or seniors who are blind or visually impaired; directs the officers, board and staff to communicate with the proponents of such a designation to express our serious concerns with any strategy to brand, label or describe the existing array of professional disciplines in any way which may be construed, particularly by those outside and largely completely unfamiliar with the vision loss community, to combine or blur critical distinctions between and among the various educational and rehabilitative professions; and directs ACB to collaborate with the leading organizational voices in our field representing public and private agencies, professionals and other direct service providers to identify and pursue the most effective long-term strategies to ensure the availability and quality of services that truly meet individuals’ needs.
 
Resolution 2017-14 directs ACB to formulate and implement a strategy for cultivating private foundation and individual grant funding streams for the field of blindness and visual impairment to use to supplement currently available public dollars for services to older individuals who are blind or visually impaired; directs that such a strategy involve partnerships with leading organizations and individuals in the field who should work collaboratively to pursue and obtain such private sources of support which should, in turn, be made available to those individuals and private organizations that are most in need and/or who serve the most vulnerable or overlooked segments of the older blind community across America; and adds that private funding streams cultivated through this strategy should support the delivery of all services that are now authorized to be provided pursuant to the OIB program.
 
Resolution 2017-15 commends the members of the Nevada Council of the Blind, and the extraordinary leadership of Nevada state Senator Moises Denis, for exemplary and successful advocacy for accessible drug labeling statewide in Nevada, and directs ACB to offer its affiliates, as appropriate, such public policy counsel and related support as they may request to assist them with efforts to achieve the critical policy objective of accessible drug labeling in every state.
 
Resolution 2017-17 instructs ACB to work to ensure that IMLS funding levels are not reduced during the 2018 federal fiscal year.
 
Resolution 2017-18 directs that ACB, in partnership with the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America, urge, in the strongest terms possible, that vending manufacturers and vending machine operators work together to make these vending machines fully accessible to consumers and operators who are blind or who have low vision; offer manufacturers the assistance of the information access committee in achieving the goals of this resolution; and in the event vending machine manufacturers are unwilling to enter into meaningful negotiations with vendors or their representatives concerning the accessibility of vending machines, this organization is hereby urged to intervene to take steps that are likely to advance the goals of this resolution.
 
Resolution 2017-19 directs that ACB request the IRS to adopt a permanent policy to enable people with disabilities to claim a waiver that will not consider college loan forgiveness as a taxable event.
 
Resolution 2017-20 instructs ACB staff to carry the issue of clear glass door hazards to the Access Board so that they may develop and potentially implement appropriate solutions for this serious concern, and directs the staff and board to report on what progress has been made by the Access Board over the next year to the environmental access committee at our 2018 convention.
 
Resolution 2017-21 directs ACB to work with its affiliate, ACB Diabetics in Action, and with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the U.S. Congress, and manufacturers of continuous glucose monitoring devices and glucometers to ensure that all such devices are fully accessible to diabetics who are blind or visually impaired, and with leading private insurers and HMOs to ensure that their customers with diabetes who are blind or visually impaired can be provided with accessible devices which truly enable independent and reliable diabetes management.
 
Resolution 2017-22 calls upon the federal government to allocate sufficient funds to provide accessible pedestrian signals in all communities, to support the deployment of indoor indicators that would enable people who are blind or have low vision to navigate public buildings independently, to develop and implement a program based on the use of wearable glasses that will enable people who are blind to have the same level of communication that is available for people who are deaf and for people who do not have disabilities, to develop and implement a large-scale training initiative that would assure that people who are blind or have low vision can learn to use the computer hardware and software that makes information access as available to this population as it is to the rest of our society, to allocate substantial funding to assure that the eventual release of self-driving vehicles is fully accessible for and usable by people who are blind or have low vision, and to provide a range of training for people who are blind or have low vision that would enable them to fully take advantage of the opportunities these technologies now make possible. It also directs the officers, directors and staff of this organization are hereby directed to make the implementation of the objectives of this resolution a priority.
 
Resolution 2017-23 states ACB’s belief that the growing inaccessibility of stores, restaurants, places of entertainment and other public accommodations represents a threat to the civil rights and continuing advancement toward equality of Americans who are blind or visually impaired, and directs the organization to redouble its advocacy efforts in the arena of kiosk-dependent interaction with places of public accommodation to include, as appropriate, structured negotiations, state level legislative activity, federal enforcement actions, media outreach, and direct relationship-building with leading stakeholder organizations.
 
Resolution 2017-24 directs ACB’s staff to contact the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices to inquire as to the process for amending the MUTCD; to solicit participation from other organizations of and for the blind and low vision to assist in strengthening sections 4E.08 through 4E.13 of the MUTCD; and directs staff, along with the environmental access committee, to prepare amendments for the MUTCD that are to be submitted to the NCUTCD for its consideration.
 
Resolution 2017-25 states ACB’s opposition to health care reform proposals that make it more difficult for people who are blind or who have low vision to obtain affordable, comprehensive health care coverage.
 
Resolution 2017-26 expresses ACB’s thanks to the management and staff of the Nugget Casino and Resort for their warm welcome, very hard work and commitment to customer service.
 
Resolution 2017-27 expresses ACB’s gratitude to the members of the Nevada host committee for their enthusiastic welcome, the untold hours of planning and hard work, and the tremendous privilege of bringing our national conference and convention to their home state.
 
Resolution 2017-28 expresses ACB’s thanks to all the volunteers who gave their time and energy at this year’s national convention.  

Listings for Described TV

Resolution 2017-01

 

Whereas, the multiplicity of TV programming delivery methods available today, along with the growth in the number of markets where audio-described television programming is available, has the potential to exponentially increase the demand for audio description; and
 
Whereas, for this anticipated increased demand to be satisfied, consumers of described television must have a convenient and reliable means for browsing among and selecting audio-described programming; and
 
Whereas, at this time, other than the manually gathered American Council of the Blind’s Audio Description Project website listing, there is no reliable automated digital listing, fed by the broadcast and non-broadcast networks, that electronic program guides can incorporate to provide consumers with timely and accurate notice of all available audio-described programming; and
 
Whereas, such a listing would better enable set-top boxes to provide consumers with ready access to audio description via meaningful electronic program guides; and
 
Whereas, for well over a decade, there has been a commitment to ensure that all closed-captioned programs are appropriately listed in electronic program guides;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 2nd day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization strongly urge the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to exercise all appropriate authority to require the broadcast and non-broadcast networks to establish and/or join an automated digital listing of all available audio-described programming; and
 
Be it further resolved that the FCC monitor such listings on an ongoing basis for quality assurance and to ensure that such listings provide consumers of audio-described programming with a level of service equal to that provided today to consumers of closed-captioned television.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Increase Audio Description

Resolution 2017-02

 

Whereas, current law, as provided by the historic 21st Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act (CVAA), requires only a small number of television networks to carry a few hours of audio-described programming per quarter, amounting to a fraction of all TV programming available today; and
 
Whereas, nearly 100% of all available TV programming is currently closed-captioned, while only a tiny proportion of programming is currently being described; and
 
Whereas, instead of creating new audio-described material, a number of old programs and movies are simply being repeated by certain networks; and
 
Whereas, the CVAA authorizes the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) to incrementally increase the number of hours of audio-described programming from the current level of 50 hours per calendar quarter up to 87.5 hours a quarter for each of the mandated broadcast and non-broadcast networks; and
 
Whereas, at long last, the FCC has finally announced that commissioners will vote on a proposal to mandate such an incremental increase in the number of required described TV hours at its July 13, 2017 public meeting; and
 
Whereas, the more than 24.7 million Americans who live with significant vision loss today continue to impatiently wait for the long-overdue day when audio description is available for each and every television program;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 2nd day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization strongly urge each of the commissioners of the Federal Communications Commission to order an increase in the total number of required hours of audio description up to the CVAA’s allowable statutory maximum.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Lions Centennial

Resolution 2017-03

 

Whereas, 2017 marks the 100th anniversary of Lions Clubs International; and
 
Whereas, Lions have worked to provide assistance to individuals who are blind or visually impaired throughout the world, willingly answering the call to be “Knights of the Blind” issued to them by Hellen Keller at the organization’s 1925 national convention; and
 
Whereas, the American Council of Blind Lions (ACBL) is formally recognized by Lions Clubs International and, throughout its existence, ACBL has sought to educate Lions about the capabilities of individuals who are blind or visually impaired; and
 
Whereas, ACBL has worked to encourage Lions who are blind to actively participate in and aspire to leadership positions in their local clubs;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 4th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that the American Council of the Blind join with its special-interest affiliate, the American Council of Blind Lions, to congratulate Lions Clubs International on its 100th anniversary of service; and
 
Be it further resolved that a copy of this resolution be sent to Lions Clubs International.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Expanded Core Curriculum Outside of School

Resolution 2017-04

 

Whereas, students with vision loss have a fundamental right to a free and appropriate public education pursuant to the United States Constitution, the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA), and other long-standing provisions of federal and state law; and
 
Whereas, protection and enforcement of such students’ rights depends upon both the provision of appropriate accommodations and the provision of specialized instruction and services meeting students’ individual disability-related needs; and
 
Whereas, such specialized instructional services provided to students who are blind or visually impaired are collectively referred to as the Expanded Core Curriculum (ECC); and
 
Whereas, critical components of the ECC, such as orientation and mobility, independent living, social integration, self-advocacy, and related skills training cannot be competently taught or proficiently learned when the provision of such training is confined to the four walls of a classroom or even generally to school premises and only during normal school hours; and
 
Whereas, all across America, there is a disturbing trend on the part of states and local school districts to nevertheless require that these indispensable skills be taught only on campus and during normal school hours; and
 
Whereas, these restrictions include, but are not limited to: prohibiting any instruction before or after school; prohibiting all off-campus orientation and mobility instruction; forbidding preschool students from being taken off campus for such instruction; limiting instruction to within a small radius of the school, as, for example, three blocks; requiring parental consent for every off-campus trip when receiving orientation and mobility instruction; and requiring, as a condition of after-school instruction, that a parent be present to sign out the student; and
 
Whereas, states and school districts that impose such unwarranted restrictions are categorically in violation of federal special education law and policy which clearly provides that such services are to be provided at home, at school, and in community;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 4th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization demand that, as part of a comprehensive update and reissuance of policy guidance concerning students who are blind or visually impaired, last published in 2000, the U.S. Department of Education declare in unambiguous terms that states’ and districts’ imposition of restrictions limiting the provision of the instruction and services comprising the Expanded Core Curriculum to school grounds and/or during normal school hours severely impairs, if not outright denies, the right of students with vision loss to a truly free and appropriate public education; and
 
Be it further resolved that this organization ensure the broad dissemination of this resolution to its state chapters, special-interest affiliates, organizations of parents of children with visual impairments, state directors of special education, teachers of students with visual impairments, and any and all stakeholders which may be identified, to assist parents, professionals and advocates at the state and local levels to defend the right of all students who are blind or visually impaired to an education that is irrefutably worthy of their tremendous potential.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Dogs on Planes

Resolution 2017-05

 

Whereas, one year ago, the American Council of the Blind (ACB) unanimously adopted a resolution calling upon the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) to harmonize its service animal regulations with those of the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ); and
 
Whereas, throughout this past year, ACB has been actively engaged in negotiated rule-making with DOT, the airline industry, and other disability advocates tasked with finding compromise to revise the Air Carrier Access Act’s regulations concerning service animals; and
 
Whereas, advocates and industry were unable to reach consensus, resulting in a stalemate in which a proper definition of service animals that would curtail fraud and abuse has not been achieved; and
 
Whereas, this policy and procedural breakdown means that responsibility for issuance of a proposed rule on this matter now lies with the DOT’s Aviation Compliance Division; and
 
Whereas, DOT has failed to issue such a proposed rule for public comment; and
 
Whereas, over this very period, the airline industry continues to restrict the rights of individuals traveling with guide dogs, such as the media-documented case of a passenger in Dallas who was refused access to the plane with her service animal in late 2016; and
 
Whereas, multiple complaints by guide and service dog handlers against airlines regarding poor quality of customer service, persistent misunderstanding of the law and the provision of reasonable accommodations (such as pre-boarding, seating preference, and assistance in navigating through and beyond airport security), all demonstrate a pattern and practice of access inequality; and
 
Whereas, at the same time, individuals traveling with pets falsely claimed or assumed to be service animals continue to cast a negative light on the legitimate use of service animals, furthering the bias against passengers with service dogs;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 4th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization call upon the U.S. Department of Transportation to issue, with all deliberate speed, regulations strengthening the rights of passengers with service animals by aligning them with the service animal rules already promulgated by the U.S. Department of Justice  so as to reduce the fraud and abuse of service animal misrepresentation; and
 
Be it further resolved that this organization collaborate with Guide Dog Users, Inc. (GDUI), to ensure, through training, outreach and advocacy, that airlines improve quality of customer service by airline staff, the effectiveness of Complaint Resolution Officers (CROs), and airlines’ overall commitment to the rights and responsibilities of passengers with service animals so as to honor the dignity with which all passengers deserve to travel, free of harassment and abuse.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Micromarkets

Resolution 2017-06

 

 Whereas, the American Council of the Blind (ACB) and its affiliates have been actively advocating on issues that involve self-service kiosks in a variety of settings; and
 
Whereas, these settings include medical facilities and restaurants; and
 
Whereas, in recent years, micromarkets have begun to replace other types of food vending facilities; and
 
Whereas, a micromarket is a food facility industry that is completely self-service in nature, that is kiosk-based, and that provides prepared foods and beverages; and
 
Whereas, proponents of micromarkets argue that micromarkets have a number of advantages over vending machines, including the use of a variety of payment options, less need for maintenance, the ability to display offerings in a more attractive way, the capacity to acquire data on sales, and the ability to more quickly modify offerings and pricing in response to demand; and
 
Whereas, despite the repeated urging of ACB’s affiliate Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America (RSVA) and state licensing agencies, and the promises of some micromarket manufacturers, micromarkets remain largely inaccessible both to consumers with vision loss and to blind micromarket operators; and
 
Whereas, the use of micromarkets, as with many types of automated self-service facilities, is only in its infancy and will, without doubt, grow rapidly throughout the nation; and
 
Whereas, it is essential that these facilities be fully accessible to consumers and operators alike; and 
 
Whereas, it is incumbent upon the blind community generally, and ACB in particular, to work collaboratively whenever possible, to ensure that self-service facilities are fully accessible to persons who are blind or have low vision.
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 4th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization join with its affiliate, Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America, in urging, in the strongest terms possible, that micromarket manufacturers make these facilities fully accessible to consumers and operators who are blind or who have low vision; and
 
Be it further resolved that this organization offer micromarket manufacturers the assistance of its Information Access Committee to achieve the goals of this resolution in the most expeditious manner possible; and
 
Be it further resolved that, in the event that micromarket manufacturers fail to use their best efforts to ensure the full accessibility of micromarkets at the earliest possible time, this organization demand that state licensing agencies refuse to allow the use of micromarkets in the business enterprise program.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Amtrak

Resolution 2017-07

 

Whereas, many people with disabilities, including those who are blind or who have low vision, travel on Amtrak; and
 
Whereas, the use of smartphone apps has become a popular means of transacting business; and
 
Whereas, it is possible to purchase a ticket with a disability discount either at an Amtrak station, calling Amtrak or by visiting the web site, but not through the Amtrak iOS app; and
 
Whereas, the Amtrak iOS app allows for several other discount options including senior, veterans, student, and AAA discounts to be applied; and
 
Whereas, the iOS app is very accessible in all other aspects;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 5th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization strongly urge Amtrak to include the disability discount as one of the options when purchasing a ticket using a smartphone app.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Door-to-Door Paratransit

Resolution 2017-08

 

Whereas, federally funded paratransit service providers make the distinction between “curb-to-curb” and “door-to-door” service, often preferring curb-to-curb on the mistaken belief that curb-to-curb is more economical and efficient; and
 
Whereas, many people with disabilities, including people with sensory and cognitive impairments, experience difficulty with a curb-to-curb approach either due to the nature of their disability or to the uniquely challenging exigencies of particular paths of travel; and
 
Whereas, the provision of door-to-door service for those passengers who need it cannot be left to the ad hoc exercise of paratransit drivers’ uninformed discretion;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 5th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization instruct its transportation committee to work with state and local affiliates to ensure that local entities responsible for paratransit services adopt a door-to-door service policy.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Randolph-Sheppard Priority in Danger

Resolution 2017-09

 

Whereas, the Trump administration has proposed to sell public lands as a means to cover budget shortfalls; and,
 
Whereas, many Business Enterprise Program roadside rest areas are on public lands; and
 
Whereas, in its budget proposal, the administration has stated its support for privatization of highway rest areas, which would be devastating to hundreds of blind vendors;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 5th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization, along with its affiliate the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America, work with the U.S. Congress to ensure that current and future Business Enterprise Program roadside rest areas are protected.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Autonomous Vehicles, Wayfinding, and Collaboration

Resolution 2017-10

 

Whereas, a number of automotive and technology companies, including but not limited to Uber, Google, General Motors, and Local Motors, are developing autonomous vehicles (also known as driverless vehicles); and
 
Whereas, the American Council of the Blind, as well as a number of its state and special-interest affiliates and members, have actively partnered with companies developing autonomous vehicles for the purpose of ensuring that the access needs of people who are blind or visually impaired are met; and
 
Whereas, a number of other technology companies have already deployed, and are continuing to develop, personal wayfinding technologies offering personal environmental navigation to people with vision loss; and
 
Whereas, the convergence of autonomous vehicles and personal wayfinding technologies offers the potential for an entirely new and accessible transportation experience for people who are blind or visually impaired;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 5th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization commend the work of its officers, directors, staff and members for their efforts to hold makers of autonomous vehicles accountable for ensuring the full accessibility of such vehicles to people who are blind or visually impaired; and
 
Be it further resolved that this organization direct its officers, directors and staff to uncompromisingly advocate for autonomous vehicle accessibility while also enlisting the makers of autonomous vehicles as champions to partner with ACB to surmount other known and potential roadblocks, such as overbroad state drivers licensing schemes, which may impede or bar people with vision loss from having the full enjoyment and benefit of autonomous vehicles; and
 
Be it further resolved that ACB call upon the developers of autonomous vehicles to partner with manufacturers of personal wayfinding technology so that these two game-changing technologies will be on course to provide people with vision loss with a fully integrated travel experience.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Driverless Car Policy Challenges

Resolution 2017-11

 

Whereas, the U.S. Congress is beginning to consider an array of legislative measures intended to effectively respond to, and support continued innovation in, the autonomous vehicle industry; and
 
Whereas, while these measures are being crafted even as of this writing, it is becoming increasingly clear that much of the emphasis in such legislation is on maintaining the status quo of states’ control over licensing decisions on the one hand, and granting industry considerable flexibility, incentives and exemptions from a variety of federal requirements on the other hand; and
 
Whereas, the unavailability of 100% autonomous vehicles on the current or immediately emerging market is being proffered as a rationale for deferring consideration of any federal intervention at this time to ensure that autonomous vehicle user interfaces allow people who are blind or visually impaired to fully benefit from this exciting technology; and
 
Whereas, in the context of these federal policy discussions, the cross-disability community emphasis seems to be on physical accessibility to autonomous vehicles, particularly to fleets of public transportation or private ride-hailing services; and
 
Whereas, advocates for people who are blind or visually impaired have been told by such cross-disability spokespeople that the allegedly more imminent deployment of autonomous public transportation and ride-hailing vehicles warrants immediate action to foster physical accessibility now while user interface accessibility is a more remote objective and a less urgent priority; and
 
Whereas, it has been the vision loss community’s hard-learned lesson over decades of experience that failing to address technology accessibility at the earliest possible opportunity, both in terms of the design of such technology and in terms of the relationship of such technology to public policy, results in profound disadvantage to, if not outright exclusion of, people who are blind or visually impaired; and
 
Whereas, even assuming the availability of 100% autonomous vehicles, there is a very real worry that state licensing requirements may impose outmoded or avoidable restrictions on the use of autonomous vehicles by people with vision loss, such as possible requirements that an autonomous vehicle owner operator must have sufficient vision to manage a catastrophic or even intermittent vehicle failure;
 
Now , therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 5th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization communicate to proponents of autonomous vehicle legislation currently under consideration in both the U.S. Senate and House of Representatives that the American Council of the Blind will voice its deep disappointment with, if not opposition to, any package of legislative proposals that grants flexibility, incentives and/or exemptions to the autonomous vehicle industry but that fails to at least initiate a meaningful process, with measurable outcomes, for establishing user interface accessibility requirements on autonomous vehicle manufacturers; and
 
Be it further resolved that this organization urge the U.S. Congress to guide states in the exercise of their traditional roles in setting basic licensing requirements so as to honor the federal constitutional right to travel which people who are blind or visually impaired must be allowed to enjoy on an equal basis with our sighted fellow citizens.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

OIB Funding

Resolution 2017-12

 

Whereas, ACB Resolution 2013-19 clearly demonstrated that there is an expectation that the population of older Americans with vision loss will increase exponentially over a generation; and
 
Whereas, federal funding for Independent Living Services for Older Individuals who are Blind, pursuant to Title VII, Chapter 2, of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended (also known as the OIB program), remains static at approximately $33.4 million annually; and
 
Whereas, given the 2016 issuance of regulations by the U.S. Department of Education which arbitrarily bar states from using vocational rehabilitation dollars to offer services to clients with vision loss for whom compensated work outside the home may neither be appropriate nor desired, states’ capacity today to meet the independent living needs of older people with vision loss has been even further diminished;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 5th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization make it a priority to participate in Goal One of the American Foundation for the Blind’s Twenty-First Century Agenda on Aging and Vision Loss to address the critical national need for dramatically increased, and better leveraged, funding for services to older individuals who are blind or visually impaired; and
 
Be it further resolved that this organization make it a national legislative imperative to advocate for a substantial increase in the level of federal funding for the OIB program; and
 
Be it further resolved that state chapters of this organization are hereby encouraged to work at the state level with other appropriate stakeholders to make more state dollars available to address this acute crisis of resources; and
 
Be it further resolved that the officers, directors and staff of this organization are hereby directed to make finding better ways to create resources to serve older people with vision loss a priority over the next year.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Branding the Professional Disciplines

Resolution 2017-13

 

Whereas, the American Council of the Blind’s (ACB’s) Rehabilitation Task Force has learned that various voices from within the university, professional certification, and private agency communities are calling for the establishment and promotion of a single unifying name or so-called umbrella designation to refer to each of the major professional disciplines serving individuals who are blind or visually impaired; and
 
Whereas, the establishment of such a designation is being proposed to encompass state licensed Teachers of Students with Visual Impairments, Certified Orientation and Mobility Specialists, Certified Vision Rehabilitation Therapists, Certified Low Vision Therapists, and Certified Assistive Technology Instructional Specialists; and
 
Whereas, these professional disciplines offer a wide variety of complementary but critically distinct services to a profoundly heterogeneous population of children, working-age adults, and seniors with vision loss; and
 
Whereas, while there is some overlap among the various professional disciplines in terms of knowledge and training, each of these disciplines require distinct and specialized competencies of the professionals who practice them; and
 
Whereas, particularly with regard to teachers of students with visual impairments, pedagogical methods for providing instruction to children, existing state licensing structures, and the requirements of both federal and state special education law all militate against commingling the branding of this profession with the other disciplines; and
 
Whereas, each of the disciplines certified by the Academy for Certification of Vision Rehabilitation and Education Professionals (ACVREP) has a well-defined body of knowledge and a specific purpose to fulfill in the delivery of specialized services to people who are blind or who have low vision; and
 
Whereas, the use of a single title, prefix, designation or other naming scheme that attempts to blur distinctions between and among the various professions poses historically demonstrable risks to the recognition, availability, funding, and receipt of the full array of services meeting the unique needs of individuals living with vision loss; and
 
Whereas, maintaining orientation and mobility, vision rehabilitation therapy and low vision therapy as unmistakably distinct and identifiable disciplines is the best strategy to ensure that clients receive all services from a team of specialists expected to possess discipline-specific expertise meeting clients' highly individualized needs;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 5th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization declare its opposition to the establishment and use of a unifying designation, prefix or title to refer to each of the professional disciplines serving children, working-age adults, or seniors who are blind or visually impaired; and
 
Be it further resolved that under no circumstances should any unifying designation encompass teachers of students with visual impairments; and
 
Be it further resolved that this organization, through its officers, board of directors and staff, communicate with the proponents of such a unifying professional designation to express our serious concerns with any strategy to brand, label or describe the existing array of professional disciplines in any way which may be construed, particularly by those outside and largely completely unfamiliar with the vision loss community, to combine or blur critical distinctions between and among the various educational and rehabilitative professions; and
 
Be it further resolved that ACB collaborate with the leading organizational voices in our field representing public and private agencies, professionals and other direct service providers to identify and pursue the most effective long-term strategies to ensure the availability and quality of services that truly meet individuals’ needs.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Grants for Independent Living Services

Resolution 2017-14

 

Whereas, the federal Independent Living Services to Older Individuals who are Blind (OIB) program is currently serving less than 2% of the eligible national population likely to benefit from such critical services; and
 
Whereas, full funding for the OIB program through both federal and state appropriations is not at all likely to be achieved in the foreseeable future for a host of political, fiscal, demographic and related reasons; and
 
Whereas, Medicare, Medicaid and private insurers fail to cover virtually all of the cost of vision rehabilitation services and the assistive technologies that are essential to allow older people with vision loss, including people who may also have additional complex health needs or disabling conditions, to live safely and independently at home and in community;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 5th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization formulate and implement a strategy for cultivating private foundation and individual grant funding streams for the field of blindness and visual impairment to use to supplement and not supplant currently available public dollars for services to older individuals who are blind or visually impaired; and
 
Be it further resolved that such a strategy should primarily involve partnerships with leading organizations and individuals in the field who should work collaboratively to pursue and obtain such private sources of support which should, in turn, be made available to those individuals and private organizations that are most in need and/or who serve the most vulnerable or overlooked segments of the older blind community across America; and
 
Be it further resolved that private funding streams cultivated through this strategy should support the delivery of all services that are now authorized to be provided pursuant to the OIB program.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Nevada Drug Labels

Resolution 2017-15

 

Whereas, members of the Nevada Council of the Blind embarked upon a legislative campaign aimed at ensuring that medications dispensed within the state of Nevada would be provided with drug labeling that is accessible to Nevadans who are blind or visually impaired; and
 
Whereas, these Nevadans with vision loss recruited Nevada state Senator Moises Denis, a former Nevada state assemblyman and current representative of Nevada state Senate District 2 to serve as the principal legislative champion for this critical campaign; and
 
Whereas, Senator Denis worked hard to pass Senate Bill 131, which will place prescription label readers into the hands of all Nevadans who need them; and
 
Whereas, the vital legislation that Senator Denis and the Nevada Council of the Blind achieved thanks to their vision and determination should serve as a worthy exemplar of the power that state chapters of the American Council of the Blind possess to affect meaningful positive change in the lives of all people who live with vision loss;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 6th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that ACB commend the women and men of the Nevada Council of the Blind, and the extraordinary leadership of Nevada state Senator Moises Denis, for exemplary and successful advocacy for accessible drug labeling statewide in Nevada; and
 
Be it further resolved that this organization, through its national office staff, offer its affiliates, as appropriate, such public policy counsel and related support as they may request to assist them with efforts to achieve the critical policy objective of accessible drug labeling in every state.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

IMLS Funding

Resolution 2017-17

 

Whereas, the nation’s regional libraries that provide services in concert with the National Library Service (NLS) enable people who are blind or have low vision to have a window on the world through the availability of books and other reading materials; and
 
Whereas, more than half of these regional libraries rely on the Institute for Museum and Library Services (IMLS) as their primary funding source; and
 
Whereas, budget proposals in the United States Congress call for the elimination of the IMLS; and
 
Whereas, if the IMLS were to be eliminated or the funding level for IMLS sharply reduced, doing so will have a potentially devastating impact on regional library services for those libraries that rely on IMLS funds;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 6th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization work to ensure that IMLS funding levels are not reduced during the 2018 federal fiscal year.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Vending Machines

Resolution 2017-18

 

Whereas, vending machines remain an integral component of the food service facility industry generally and the Business Enterprise Program specifically; and
 
Whereas, vending machines provide an array of food and beverage choices; and
 
Whereas, vending machines have become largely inaccessible both to customers with vision loss and to operators who are blind or visually impaired seeking to obtain data that these vending machines display; and
 
Whereas, it is long past time, given the state of existing technology, that vending machine manufacturers make these machines fully accessible both to customers with vision loss and to business enterprise program (BEP) facility operators;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 6th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization, along with its affiliate, Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America (RSVA), urge, in the strongest terms possible, that vending manufacturers and vending machine operators work together to make these vending machines fully accessible to consumers and operators who are blind or who have low vision; and
 
Be it further resolved that this organization offer manufacturers the assistance of the ACB Information Access Committee in achieving the goals of this resolution in the most expeditious manner possible; and
 
Be it further resolved that, in the event vending machine manufacturers are unwilling to enter into meaningful negotiations with vendors or their representatives concerning the accessibility of vending machines, this organization is hereby urged to intervene to take steps that are likely to advance the goals of this resolution.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Student Loans

Resolution 2017-19

 

Whereas, many people who are blind or visually impaired have significant student loan debt; and
 
Whereas, there are U.S. Department of Education regulations that enable individuals with disabilities to claim a waiver to forgive their student loan debt; and
 
Whereas, the Internal Revenue Service generally regards such debt forgiveness as taxable income; and
 
Whereas, notwithstanding this rule, the IRS has vacillated with respect to a policy that allows persons with disabilities to receive a debt forgiveness waiver to not regard this income as taxable;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 6th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization request the IRS to adopt a permanent policy to enable persons with disabilities to claim a waiver that will not consider college loan forgiveness as a taxable event.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Clear Glass Doors

Resolution 2017-20

 

Whereas, clear glass doors represent a potential hazard for people with low vision who are sometimes unable to distinguish doors from open space; and
 
Whereas, this inability to recognize doors can result in accidents that can potentially cause damage or injury; and
 
Whereas, for other access issues, the Access Board has developed, studied and implemented approaches and standards which protect and enhance the right of people with disabilities to full and safe access to the community;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 6th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that the staff of this organization are hereby instructed to carry this issue to the Access Board so that they may develop and potentially implement appropriate solutions for this serious concern; and
 
Be it further resolved that this organization direct the staff and directors of the American Council of the Blind to report on what progress has been made by the Access Board over the next year to the environmental access committee at our 2018 convention.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

CGMs and Glucometers

Resolution 2017-21

 

Whereas, diabetes is a disease which causes high glucose levels in a person’s blood, and if the blood sugar level is not controlled, can cause stroke, vision loss, kidney failure, loss of limbs, neuropathy, coronary failure, arterial problems, and other physical and psychological problems, and is the third leading cause of death in the United States; and
 
Whereas, in order to control and maintain normal blood sugar levels, a diabetic has to take oral medication or inject insulin, or other similar medications, and regularly use glucose measuring devices to test blood sugar levels; and
 
Whereas, a continuous glucose monitoring device (CGM), which is connected to a diabetic’s body by a probe in a diabetic’s abdomen area, will enable a person who has diabetes to improve control of blood glucose levels through continuous monitoring of levels and by administering timely and appropriate quantities of insulin, thereby avoiding harmful side effects; and
 
Whereas, a diabetic is required to read displays and replenish insulin levels in a pump which is often used in conjunction with the CGM device, but there are no CGM devices which are fully accessible to diabetics with vision loss; and
 
Whereas, only one CGM device is known to be partially accessible to people who are blind or visually impaired via the use of an app on an iOS device, such as an iPhone or iPad; and
 
Whereas, many people with vision loss cannot afford to purchase an iOS device and have difficulty operating iOS devices; and
 
Whereas, without fully accessible stand-alone CGM devices, many blind or visually impaired diabetics will continue to be unable to effectively control their blood sugar levels and continue to be at risk of catastrophic side effects; and
 
Whereas, alternatively, many diabetics use a glucometer several times daily to determine their blood sugar levels; and
 
Whereas, while some glucometers are accessible in that, after a blood sample is placed in the test strip, the device announces the test results and allows the diabetic with vision loss to check the readings history, set the time and perform other functions that sighted diabetics are able to do, many other glucometers make none of these functions accessible; and
 
Whereas, glucometer manufacturers are not uniformly producing accessible glucometers in spite of the promulgation of standards adopted by the International Standards Organization which serve as the “road map” for the integration of universal design into all next generation biotech products; and
 
Whereas, some private health insurers and HMOs only pay for or provide inaccessible glucometers, meaning that diabetics with vision loss must either incur even more out-of-pocket expenses for the “privilege” of using accessible glucometers or simply go without accessible devices because they cannot afford them; and
 
Whereas, compelling a diabetic who is blind or visually impaired to rely on another person for assistance with the management of their diabetes has inherent limitations and potentially devastating risks;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 6th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that, in partnership with its affiliate, the  American Council of the Blind Diabetics in Action, this organization work aggressively with the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services (CMS), the U.S. Congress, and manufacturers of CGM devices and glucometers to ensure that all such devices are fully accessible to diabetics who are blind or visually impaired; and
 
Be it further resolved that such advocacy also include work with leading private insurers and HMOs to ensure that their customers with diabetes who are blind or visually impaired can be provided with accessible devices which truly enable independent and reliable diabetes management.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Funding for Tech

Resolution 2017-22

 

Whereas, the Americans with Disabilities Act promised to unequivocally remove barriers to full inclusion in our society for people who are blind or have low vision as well as for other people with disabilities; and
 
Whereas, in spite of this hope, there has not been a significant commitment on the part of any of the federal administrations who have led our nation to remove barriers that limit full inclusion for people who are blind or have low vision; and
 
Whereas, it is generally recognized that the group who got the least from the Americans with Disabilities Act is people who are blind or have low vision; and
 
Whereas, people who are deaf benefitted substantially from the ADA since it required the expenditure of funds that have clearly exceeded $1 billion to create a communication infrastructure that revolutionized their inclusion in our society; and
 
Whereas, we have reached a place in the evolution of technology where the same opportunity to fundamentally impact the lives of people who are blind or have low vision that existed for people who are deaf at the time of the passage of the ADA exists today; and
 
Whereas, among other emerging technologies, accessible pedestrian signals, methods for indoor and outdoor electronic signage and landmarks, advanced accessible GPS systems, cameras mounted in glasses which can provide information verbally about the environment around the person using them, and complex systems based on wearable glass and other technology which allow for remotely provided direct assistance provided by persons who can see through the wearable glass worn by the user; and
 
Whereas, in addition, there is an immense quantity of information available on the Internet that, with sufficient training and preparedness, could enable people who are visually impaired to obtain a level of independence and self-sufficiency undreamt of until now; and
 
Whereas, the emergence of self-driving cars further enhances the probability of substantially increased independence for people who are blind or have low vision;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved that this organization hereby call upon our federal government to allocate sufficient funds to, among other things, accomplish the following:
1.   Allocate sufficient funds to provide accessible pedestrian signals in all communities;
2.   Allocate sufficient funds to support the deployment of indoor indicators that would enable people who are blind or have low vision to navigate public buildings independently;
3.   Develop and implement a program based on the use of wearable glasses that will enable people who are blind to have the same level of communication that is available for people who are deaf and for people who do not have disabilities;
4.   Develop and implement a large-scale training initiative that would assure that people who are blind or have low vision can learn to use the computer hardware and software that makes information access as available to this population as it is to the rest of our society;
5.   Allocate substantial funding to assure that the eventual release of self-driving vehicles is fully accessible for and usable by people who are blind or have low vision;
6.   Provide a range of training for people who are blind or have low vision that would enable them to fully take advantage of the opportunities these technologies now make possible; and
 
Be it further resolved that the officers, directors and staff of this organization are hereby directed to make the implementation of the objectives of this resolution a priority.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Kiosks

Resolution 2017-23

 

Whereas, the nature of in-person retail commerce is changing dramatically, due in large part to introduction of kiosks, robots, scanners, interactive machines, point-of-sale (POS) machines, information terminals, apps and other similar technologies and modalities that eliminate the need for human intermediaries in the traditional relationship between the customer and proprietor; and
 
Whereas, many of these new interactive systems, such as those utilizing kiosks for selecting and ordering food or other products and services, have been designed and implemented without attention to their accessibility and usability to customers with vision loss; and
 
Whereas, even if auxiliary aids and services are offered in lieu of the native accessibility of such self-service technologies, such an inferior approach cannot yield an equal experience to that enjoyed and expected by all customers;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 6th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization believe that the growing inaccessibility of stores, restaurants, places of entertainment and other public accommodations represents a threat to the civil rights and continuing advancement toward equality of Americans who are blind or visually impaired; and
 
Be it further resolved that this organization will redouble its advocacy efforts in the arena of kiosk-dependent interaction with places of public accommodation to include, as appropriate, structured negotiations, state level legislative activity, federal enforcement actions, media outreach, and direct relationship-building with leading stakeholder organizations.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Accessible Pedestrian Signals

Resolution 2017-24

 

Whereas, accessible pedestrian signals (APS) should be installed at every intersection where a non-accessible pedestrian signal exists as a matter of our right to effective communication as required by Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act and the Architectural Barriers Act; and
 
Whereas, for more than 30 years, the American Council of the Blind (ACB), in partnership with other organizations for the blind, has advocated for and commented on proposed federal regulations to mandate the installation, placement, and accessibility features of APS used by pedestrians who are vision impaired or dual sensory impaired; and
 
Whereas, despite ACB’s efforts, no federal regulations have been issued to mandate the installation of APS; and
 
Whereas, since 1992, the U.S. Access Board has been working toward the development of guidelines for accessible pedestrian facilities in the public right-of-way guidelines (PROWAG); and
 
Whereas, the most recent draft of PROWAG, 36 CFR Part 1190, Docket No. ATBCB 2011-04, issued on July 26, 2011, mandates:
“R201.1 Scope. All newly constructed facilities, altered portions of existing facilities, and elements added to existing facilities for pedestrian circulation and use located in the public right-of-way shall comply with the requirements in this document ...”;
“R209.1 General. Where pedestrian signals are provided at pedestrian street crossings, they shall include accessible pedestrian signals and pedestrian pushbuttons complying with sections 4E.08 through 4E.13 of the Manual on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (MUTCD) incorporated by reference (see R104.2). Operable parts shall comply with R403 ...”; and
“R209.2 Alterations. Existing pedestrian signals shall comply with R209.1 when the signal controller and software are altered, or the signal head is replaced”; and
 
Whereas, PROWAG does not apply to existing pedestrian signals except those portions that are altered; and
 
Whereas, the guidelines do not require intersections to be signalized for pedestrians, except at certain roundabouts and channelized turn lanes; and
 
Whereas, when PROWAG is adopted by the U.S. Departments of Justice and Transportation, it will become a legally enforceable standard under Title II of the ADA; and
 
Whereas, the issuing of PROWAG by the U.S. Access Board and its possible future adoption by the U.S. Departments of Justice and Transportation is now uncertain as a result of Executive Order 13777 of January 30, 2017, “Reducing Regulation and Controlling Regulatory Costs,” requires any executive department or agency to repeal two existing regulations for every new regulation, and to do so in such a way that the total cost of regulations does not increase; and
 
Whereas, the U.S. Access Board has not yet identified two existing guidelines to be repealed as a pre-condition to issuing PROWAG as a final rule in order for the board to forward it to the U.S. Departments of Justice and Transportation to begin the legal standard adoption process; and
 
Whereas, the only viable short-term option that might be available at this time for ACB is to request the Federal Highway Administration of the U.S. Department of Transportation to strengthen the APS provisions found in sections 4E.08 through 4E.13 of the MUTCD 2009 Edition;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 6th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization direct its staff to contact the National Committee on Uniform Traffic Control Devices (NCUTCD) to inquire as to the process for amending the MUTCD, because that committee is authorized to recommend to the FHWA any proposed revisions to and interpretations of the MUTCD; and
 
Be it further resolved that ACB solicit participation from other organizations of and for the blind and low vision to assist in strengthening sections 4E.08 through 4E.13 of the MUTCD; and
 
Be it further resolved that ACB staff and the Environmental Access Committee prepare amendments for the MUTCD that are to be submitted to the NCUTCD for its consideration.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Healthcare

Resolution 2017-25

 

Whereas, due to age and unemployment, a large percentage of Americans who are blind or have low vision have low incomes, and thus use Medicaid for their health care coverage; and
 
Whereas, it is the goal of the Trump administration and the Republican Congress to repeal and replace the Affordable Care Act (ACA); and
 
Whereas, proposals for this repeal and replacement have included billions of dollars in cuts to the Medicaid program; and
 
Whereas, it is crucial that any health care reform legislation not diminish coverage for low-income individuals under Medicaid, including individuals who are blind or visually impaired;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 6th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization oppose health care reform proposals that make it more difficult for persons who are blind or who have low vision to obtain affordable, comprehensive health care coverage.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Thanks to the Nugget Casino and Resort

Resolution 2017-26

 

Whereas, it is appropriate that this conference and convention express its thanks and appreciation to our host hotel;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 6th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization communicate its deep gratitude to the management and staff of the Nugget Casino and Resort for their warm welcome, very hard work and commitment to customer service.
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Thanks to Host Committee

Resolution 2017-27

 

Whereas, the strength of the American Council of the Blind lies in each of its individual members and in each of its state and special-interest affiliates;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 6th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev.,  that this organization express its heartfelt congratulations and thanks to this year’s convention host committee and the women and men of the Nevada Council of the Blind for their enthusiastic welcome, the untold hours of planning and hard work, and the tremendous privilege of bringing our national conference and convention to their home state, where the sparks really do fly!
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary

Thanks to Volunteers

Resolution 2017-28

 

Whereas, there is no greater gift to give than service to others freely given with a generous heart;
 
Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled on the 6th day of July, 2017 at the Nugget Casino and Resort, Sparks, Nev., that this organization warmly embrace and most sincerely thank each and every individual volunteer who so selflessly and graciously gave of their time and energy, which truly made this year’s national conference and convention a winning hand!
 
Adopted.
Ray Campbell, Secretary