American Council of the Blind
                       Resolution 76-01  

     WHEREAS, resolutions have been passed unanimously by the
American Council of the Blind in convention assembled in the City
of Chicago, Illinois, on August 3, 1974, and again in convention
assembled in the City of Mobile, Alabama, in July, 1975, concerning
Federal civil rights legislation for blind and handicapped persons;
and 

     WHEREAS, the reasons for passing these resolutions are still,
real and valid; and 

     WHEREAS, civil rights legislation for blind and handicapped
persons has been introduced in the Congress of the United States;
and 

     WHEREAS, it is anticipated that other civil rights bills will
be introduced in the Congress and in the legislatures of the
several states; and 

     WHEREAS, an American Council of the Blind Task Force on Civil
Rights would be a valuable instrument to promote final passage of
such legislation,

     THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind in convention assembled at the Arlington Hotel in the City of
Hot Springs, Arkansas, this 8th day of July, 1976, that a Task
Force on Civil Rights be established to assist the American Council
of the Blind Legislative Committee and the National Office in the
promotion of civil rights legislation for blind and handicapped
persons; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the membership of the Task Force
shall be comprised of one representative appointed from each state
affiliate, as well as one representative appointed from each
special-interest affiliate, and one member-at-large who shall be
appointed by the President of the American Council of the Blind and
shall be chairperson; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the purpose and objective of this
Task Force shall be to promote in all practical ways the enactment
of a Federal civil rights act for blind persons; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this Task Force shall have at
least one organizational meeting during the 1976 convention of the
American Council of the Blind to outline procedures and objectives
of the Task Force, and report back to the next annual convention of
the American Council of the Blind.  

(Adopted by voice vote)                   American Council of the Blind
                       Resolution 1976-02

     WHEREAS, the Allis-Chalmers Company, Little Rock Plant, and
its employees have contributed to the Arkansas Council of the Blind
both funds and services for transportation assistance; and

     WHEREAS, this contribution has been of invaluable assistance
to the success of the 1976 American Council of the Blind convention
in Hot Springs, Arkansas,

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Council of
the Blind, in convention assembled at Hot Springs, Arkansas, this
10th day of July, 1976, expresses heartfelt and deep appreciation
to the Allis-Chalmers Company and to the employees of its Little
Rock Plant, and that copies of this resolution be sent to the
executives of Allis-Chalmers Little Rock Plant, with the request
that they be shared with the employees of the plant.

(Adopted unanimously)
                  American Council of the Blind
                        Resolution 76-03

     WHEREAS, the U.S. Civil Service Commission, the U.S. Internal
Revenue Service, the U.S. Social Security Administration, and the
U.S. Veterans Administration have been and are now conducting
special training programs, particularly in the field of information
provider specialists, for persons who are visually impaired; and

     WHEREAS, there are now approximately 450 persons with visual
impairment employed who have received such specialized training;
and

     WHEREAS, there is a need to the continuation and expansion of
such special training programs,

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Council of
the Blind, in convention assembled at Hot Springs, Arkansas, this
10th day of July, 1976, that this convention commends the four
above-named Federal departments and agencies for their initiation
of such special training programs, and hereby urges the
continuation and expansion of such training programs; and

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that this convention directs its
President to prepare appropriate letters embodying the foregoing
and to forward the same to the heads of the respective Federal
departments and agencies named herein above.

(Adopted unanimously)                  American Council of the Blind
                       Resolution 76-04  

     WHEREAS, the Congress of the United States passed the
Randolph-Sheppard Amendments of 1974 by overwhelming vote; and 

     WHEREAS, the Amendments instructed the Department of Health,
Education and Welfare to publish regulations within one hundred
eighty (180) days; and 

     WHEREAS, regulations as of this date have not been published;
and 

     WHEREAS, the proposed regulations of December 23, 1975, and
May 7, 1976 do not accurately or adequately implement the intent of
Congress; and 

     WHEREAS, this unreasonable delay has been detrimental to the
development and improvement of the vending facility programs
throughout the Nation, 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Council of
the Blind, in convention assembled at Hot Springs, Arkansas, this
10th day of July, 1976, by unanimous vote urges the Department of
Health, Education and Welfare to publish regulations that carry out
the full intent of the Randolph-Sheppard Amendments of 1974 within
forty-five (45) days.   

(Adopted unanimously)                   American Council of the Blind
                       Resolution 76-05   

     WHEREAS, Mr. Ned E. Freeman, the first president of the
American Council of the Blind, founded the Braille Forum and was
the editor for several years; and 

     WHEREAS, the high quality of the Braille Forum is the result
of Mr. Freeman's leadership and expertise; and 

     WHEREAS, Mrs. Freeman wishes to establish a scholarship fund
in her husband's memory, to which she has made the initial
contribution, 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind, in convention assembled at Hot Springs, Arkansas, this 10th
day of July, 1976, that the generous contribution of Mrs. Freeman
be gratefully accepted and used to establish the Ned E. Freeman
SchoLarship Fund, to be administered by the American Council of the
Blind Board of Directors; and the President is hereby directed to
acknowledge this memorial gift.  

(Adopted unanimously)                   American Council of the Blind
                       Resolution 76-06   

     WHEREAS, there exists a greater need for qualified
professional rehabilitation teachers in each of the several states
to serve blind and visually handicapped persons, especially those
not accepted for vocational rehabilitation; and 

     WHEREAS, the boards of directors, personnel, and consumers of
voluntary and public agencies need to be made aware of the value,
knowledge, and skills of qualified rehabilitation teachers.; and 

     WHEREAS, there is a need for more training about blindness for
those practitioners in allied professions, including those in
training at all university levels, 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Council of
the Blind, in convention assembled at Hot Springs, Arkansas, this
10th day of July, 1976, encourages an increase in the present
funding and development of new funding sources for professional
preparation and training programs leading to the development of
qualified rehabilitation teachers; and 

     FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED, that strategies be designed to develop
greater awareness on the part of boards of directors, personnel,
and consumers of public and private agencies of the increased need
for additional qualified professional rehabilitation teachers; and 

     FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED, that a plan be developed with other
organizations and educational institutions to provide short-term
training of specific course content on blindness to the
practitioners of the allied professions, including those same
persons in training at all university levels.  

(Adopted unanimously)                   American Council of the Blind
                       Resolution 76-08  

     WHEREAS, many of the program participants travel great
distances, sometimes at their own expense, and have tight schedules
to meet immediately after their presentation; and 

     WHEREAS, there are regularly scheduled sessions for conducting
internal business; and 

     WHEREAS, some official functions require strict adherence to
their scheduled times, 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind, in convention assembled at Hot Springs, Arkansas, this 10th
day of July, 1976, that no internal business be conducted during
times when invited speakers are scheduled to meet to make
presentations.      

(Adopted by voice vote)                   American Council of the Blind
                       Resolution 76-09  

     WHEREAS, the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind,
meeting at Belgrade, Yugoslavia, in the fall of 1975, conducted a
conference on the situation of blind women; and 

     WHEREAS, the situation of blind women in the under-developed
nations is extremely desperate; and 

     WHEREAS, the American Council of the Blind is a member of the
World Council for the Welfare of the Blind, 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Council of
the Blind, in convention assembled at Hot Springs, Arkansas, this
10th day of July, 1976, calls upon the World Council for the
Welfare of the Blind to issue a report upon its findings of the
conference, and that it assist in alleviating the desperate
situation of blind women in the under-privileged nations; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the American Council of the Blind
offers to assist the World Council for the Welfare of the Blind in
this endeavor.  

(Adopted unanimously)                   American Council of the Blind
                       Resolution 76-10   

     WHEREAS, the Dymo Company has discontinued manufacture of, and
has expressed no immediate interest in resuming production of the
Dymo braille labeler; and 

     WHEREAS, braille labels can be produced more efficiently with
this labeler; and 

     WHEREAS, braille labeling is essential to blind persons in the
preparation and performance of personal and occupational tasks; and


     WHEREAS, it is our understanding that the American Foundation
for the Blind should serve as a marketing agency, 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind, in convention assembled at Hot Springs, Arkansas, this 10th
day of July, 1976, that it encourage its members and affiliates to
write letters to the American Foundation for the Blind and to the
Dymo Company expressing the need for the availability of this item. 


(Adopted unanimously)                   American Council of the Blind
                       Resolution 76-11  

     WHEREAS, state and national parks and monuments are provided
with public funds for the enjoyment of all citizens; and 

     WHEREAS, many state and national parks and monuments in the
United States of America have made provisions for blind and
visually impaired citizens, i.e., self-guided tours aided by
braille, large print or cassette; and 

     WHEREAS, state and national parks, forests, and monuments in
Arizona have failed as yet to develop extensive tours or trails for
the blind and visually impaired; and 

     WHEREAS, the Grand Canyon National Park (GCNP) is one of the
largest and most popular national parks in the United States; and 
     WHEREAS, initial contacts have been made with GCNP officials
both to initiate a self-guided tour and to contest AMFAC
regulations and practices which prohibit blind persons from
participating in mule rides into the canyon which are operated by
the AMFAC Company, 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Council of
the Blind, in convention assembled at Hot Springs, Arkansas, this
10th day of July, 1976, endorses a resolution of the Arizona
Council of the Blind that Arizona and U.S. agencies overseeing
these parks, forests, and monuments be contacted and urged to
implement as soon as possible adaptations which will permit full
enjoyment of these facilities by blind and visually impaired
citizens; and 

     FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED, that members of the Arizona Council of
the Blind will serve in an advisory and/or pilot test group
capacity and that these agencies be so informed; and 

     FURTHER BE IT RESOLVED, that the Arizona Council of the Blind
concentrate upon securing provisions for the blind and visually
impaired at GCNP first, and upon contesting the apparently
discriminatory regulations and practices against the blind.   

(Resolution endorsed)                   American Council of the Blind
                       Resolution 76-12  

     WHEREAS, there has been a problem in concluding business of
the convention early enough for departures of members, many of whom
must leave on Saturday afternoon; and 

     WHEREAS, a five o'clock conclusion schedule means that there
are only a few people left to conduct much of the business of the
convention; and 

     WHEREAS, it would be desirable for as many members as possible
to take part in the deliberations of the American Council of the
Blind; and 

     WHEREAS, these matters have been called to the attention of
the convention planners at the time of the 1975 convention, without
any evidence of remedial action having been taken, 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind, in convention assembled at Hot Springs, Arkansas, this 10th
day of July, 1976, that this Convention instruct the planning
committee and/or such other persons in charge of the convention
program in the future to schedule programs so that the convention
will begin on Wednesday morning and allot sufficient time to
conclude all convention business by 1:00 P.M. on Saturday.    

(Adopted by voice vote)                   American Council of the Blind
                       Resolution 76-14  

     WHEREAS, the control of blind persons over their own lives is
an objective of the American Council of the Blind; and 

     WHEREAS, in furtherance of this objective, it is in the
interest of the American Council of the Blind to stimulate its own
growth and that of existing and potential affiliates; and 

     WHEREAS, the United States Government, through Action,
provides full and part-time volunteers to assist the growth and
effectiveness of grass-roots organizations, 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind, in convention assembled at Hot Springs, Arkansas, this 10th
day of July, 1976, that the Board of Directors is hereby authorized
to survey the needs, goals, and objectives of American Council of
the Blind affiliates, to determine the feasibility and desirability
of obtaining temporary assistance from Action and/or other public
or private sources; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the Board of Directors shall be
authorized to enter into negotiations with Action, and any other
public or private source or entity, for the purpose of procuring or
providing for the procurement of full or part-time human resources
to assist the American Council of the Blind and its affiliates.  

(Adopted)                   American Council of the Blind
                        Resolution 76-17

     WHEREFORE, existing California state law provides that there
shall be no denial in equal access to housing on the basis of
blindness; and 

     WHEREAS, the California Civil Code includes an exception in
the equal access to housing, in that a blind person who owns a dog
guide may be denied such equal access to housing; and 

     WHEREAS, the California Alliance of Blind Students proposed an
amendment to California Assemblyman Bob Wilson, who introduced the
amendment as Assembly Bill 3263, which will remove the exception
from the California state law; and 

     WHEREAS, A.B. 3263 has been amended by the California
Association of Realtors to permit the owner of a housing
accommodation to establish such terms in a lease or rental
agreement which reasonably regulate the presence of dog guides on
the premises of a housing accommodation,

     THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind, in convention assembled at Hot Springs, Arkansas, this 10th
day of July, 1976, that this organization strongly endorses A.B.
3263 in its original, unamended version, as the amendment to the
proposed amendment by the California Association of Realtors is
detrimental to the well-being of blind people, in that it transfers
regulatory authority from the law of the State of California to
individual property owners, who could exercise arbitrary decisions
on what constitutes "reasonable regulation" relative to what a
blind person may or may not do with a dig guide on said premises. 

(Adopted unanimously)                   American Council of the Blind
                       Resolution 76-18  

     WHEREAS, all public buildings built with public funds are
eligible to have Randolph-Sheppard vending facilities; and 

     WHEREAS, many federal, state, and municipal buildings are
being constructed throughout the United States without
consideration being given to providing space or activity for
Randolph-Sheppard operations; and 

     WHEREAS, the American Council of the Blind is dedicated to
promoting fair and equitable employment to the blind and visually
impaired, 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind, in convention assembled at Hot Springs, Arkansas, this 10th
day of July, 1976, that this situation be brought to the attention
of the appropriate public officials, and that the American Council
of the Blind take appropriate and necessary action to correct the
situation throughout the United States.  
(Adopted unanimously)                   American Council of the Blind
                       Resolution 76-19  

     WHEREAS, no specific guidelines have been established for
selection of the recipients of the Ambassador Award and the George
Card Award; and 

     WHEREAS, the tangible form of the awards and the statement of
recognition of the recipients have been left to the discretion of
each successive Awards Committee, 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the American Council of
the Blind, in convention assembled at Hot Springs, Arkansas, this
10th day of July, 1976, directs the President of the American
Council of the Blind to appoint a committee to formulate and
recommend to the ACB Board of Directors specific guidelines for the
selection of recipients of the awards; and 

     BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the President make available a
written copy of the guidelines to the chairperson of each
successive Awards Committee at the time of appointment. 

(Adopted unanimously)                   American Council of the Blind
                       Resolution 76-20  

     WHEREAS, the Randolph-Sheppard Act Amendments of 1974 provide
for priority for the operation of vending facilities for blind
persons on federal property; and 

     WHEREAS, such provisions have not been implemented by federal
agencies in accordance with the law; and 

     WHEREAS, such priorities are required and necessary to assure
continuation and growth of the vending stand program for the blind,


     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind, in convention assembled at Hot Springs, Arkansas, this 10th
day of July, 1976, that this organization shall actively institute
legal processes for violations and omissions in the
RandoLph-Sheppard Act Amendments of 1974.       

(Adopted unanimously)                   American Council of the Blind
                       Resolution 76-21  

     WHEREAS, the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1973 contain
provisions (Sections 501 through 504) which create obligations to
employ qualified handicapped persons, and which, prohibit
discrimination against them, denial of benefits, or denial of
participation in programs and activities receiving federal
financial assistance, solely because of their handicap; and 
     WHEREAS, numerous cases involving violations of the provisions
of those statutes have arisen (and we expect more to arise) in
which the American Council of the Blind has been asked to assist at
both the administrative and judicial levels; and 

     WHEREAS, it is in the best interest of blind persons that
these legal rights be protected and expanded wherever possible by
the participation of this organization; and 

     WHEREAS, one of our members, Ira Grupper, has been denied
employment by a federal contractor solely because of his visual
impairment, contrary to the provisions of Section 503 of the
Rehabilitation Amendments of 1973, 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind, in convention assembled at Hot Springs, Arkansas, this 10th
day of July, 1976, that it be the policy and practice of this
organization to protect the rights of blind and handicapped persons
through participation on their behalf in complaints and cases
arising from the violation of Sections 501 through 504 of the
Rehabilitation Amendments of 1973.    

(Adopted unanimously)                   American Council of the Blind
                        Resolution 76-22 

     WHEREAS, in 1962, legislation was enacted by Congress
authorizing blind federal employees to utilize readers in their
employment, hired by the blind persons or others; and 

     WHEREAS, the legislative history is clear that such
legislation was intended to encourage and promote the employment of
blind persons, and said Act was never intended to restrict the
hiring of blind persons or to penalize them in career development;
and 

     WHEREAS, the Civil Service Commission and several personnel
officers have construed the Reader Act in such a way that agencies
have been.increasingly ruling that such agencies cannot provide
readers to their employees; and 

     WHEREAS, the blind employee cannot economically hire the
number of hours of reading service and still have any reasonable
amount of income left for his or her personal use; and 

     WHEREAS, the provision of adequate clerical support to blind
employees will permit those employees to be more productive and
give those employees an opportunity to advance their career by
establishing levels of high job performance, 

     NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the American Council of the
Blind, in convention assembled at Hot Springs, Arkansas, this 10th
day of July, 1976, that the President of the American Council of
the Blind be directed to write to the President of the United
States to ask that the problem be corrected by executive action.  
If the President cannot or will not correct this situation, then
the President of the ACB shall request Congressional action to
solve the problem. 

(Adopted unanimously)