Resolutions

Below you can find resolutions adopted at our annual spring conventions during the past several years.

2022 Resolutions

Resolution 2022-01: FY 2022-2023 Funding Levels

Whereas: the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind is the state agency charged with administering state and federally funded programs intended to assist blind and visually impaired citizens of the commonwealth to achieve independence through employment and compensatory skills of daily living, and

Whereas: the state funding of the Community Services Program – Account (4110-1000) serving about 90% of the 25,000 legally blind consumers in the commonwealth requires an additional $850,000 to adequately fund the staffing and supplies necessary to achieve their independence, and

Whereas: the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind contracts with several not-for-profits to provide independent living skills training including the use of adaptive technology and associated services, all of which will require an Increase in the Independent Living and Assistive Technology earmark from $850,000 to $1 Million for all qualified non-profit providers

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the members of the Bay State Council of the Blind in Convention assembled on this 30^th day of April, 2022 that the BSCB calls upon the members of the Massachusetts Senate to support these funding levels when passing the FY 2023 state budget, and

Be it further resolved that all members of the BSCB are asked to reach out to their state senator to secure their support for this essential funding.

Resolution 2022-02: Massachusetts talking book program

Whereas: the Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library (Watertown), and the Worcester Talking Book Library, provide vital reading materials to people who are blind and have other print disabilities in Massachusetts, and

Whereas: the Perkins and Worcester libraries provide access to audio, braille, and large print books and magazines, newspapers by phone and online, and other accessible reading materials of local interest, not available from any other source, and

Whereas: the governor’s FY2023 budget for the Perkins and Worcester libraries proposed level-funding despite increased usage and costs, and

Whereas: the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners has recommended a five percent funding increase for the Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library and the Worcester Talking Book Library which would allow continued service delivery to the existing 25,000 borrowers and increased outreach to the estimated 100,000 eligible borrowers who are not aware of the program, and

Whereas: the Massachusetts House of Representatives FY23 budget allocates an additional five percent or $141,407 totaling $2,969,554 for the Perkins Braille and Talking Book Library line item, and an additional five percent amounting to $24,837 resulting in a proposed appropriation of $521,569 for the Worcester Talking Book Library,

Now, therefor be it resolved, that the Bay State Council of the Blind in convention assembled this thirtieth day of April, 2022, asks that the Massachusetts legislature support the funding request in the house FY23 budget as follows:

Line item 7000-9406 (Watertown) $2,969,554 and Line item 7000-9402 (Worcester) $521,569; resulting in an fy2023 appropriation for the Perkins library of $2,969,554.00 and for the Worcester Talking Book Library of $521,569.00 — to enable the two libraries in Watertown and Worcester to continue to conduct important outreach and meet the accessible reading needs of the current 25,000 patrons utilizing this specialized service in the Commonwealth.

Resolution 2022-03: Accessible Electronic Voting

Whereas: citizens of the United States of America who follow the proper rules and procedures are guaranteed the right to vote, and

Whereas: every municipality in the Commonwealth uses accessible voting equipment to ensure that citizens who are blind or are otherwise disabled can cast their ballot privately, verifiably and independently, and

Whereas: the same accessible voting technology has been used reliably and dependably for several election cycles by overseas-based members of the United States armed forces for receiving and returning absentee ballots; and

Whereas: the Massachusetts Accessible Vote by Mail System used by several municipalities during the November 2021 election provided voters who are blind or have low vision the means by which they could receive and submit their ballots electronically, and

Whereas: legislation has been filed in both the House and Senate that would guarantee this level of voting access to all citizens who are blind or have low vision on the federal, state, and municipal levels,

Now, therefor, be it resolved by the members of the Bay State Council of the Blind assembled at their 2022 convention that we call on all members of the Massachusetts House of Representatives and the Senate, as well as the Governor of the Commonwealth, to actively support legislation that would ensure that citizens who are blind, have low vision, or other disabilities, can receive and return their ballot electronically for any and all elections remotely using a system that will allow them to do so independently, privately and verifiably.

2019 Resolutions

Resolution 2019-01: Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Budget

Whereas: assistive technology such as screen readers, computers, SMART phones, and portable reading devices allow blind and visually impaired persons greater independence and improved quality of life, and;

Whereas: the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind, (MCB) provides assistive technology equipment and training through its Community services Account, and;

Whereas: This account continues to serve an ever-expanding population of blind and visually impaired residents of the Commonwealth, most of whom are senior citizens, and;

Whereas: the FY2019 final state budget included a provision whereby at least $300,000.00 was to be appropriated for assistive technology services, and;

Whereas: the Governor’s FY 2019 budget failed to include this appropriation in the Community Services line item and the total appropriation for Community Services was reduced from an FY2019 total of $6,711,917.00 to an FY2020 proposal of $6,074,905.00;

Now, therefore: be it resolved that the bay State Council of the Blind in convention assembled on this 9th day of March, 2019 in Burlington, Massachusetts requests the Massachusetts Legislature to appropriate an additional $250,000.00 over and above the Governor’s proposal in MCB’s Community Services Account, (line item 4110-1000.)

Resolution 2019-02: Braille and Talking Book library

Whereas: the Perkins Braille and Talking book Library (Watertown), and the Worcester Talking Book Library, provide vital reading materials to people who are blind and have other print disabilities in Massachusetts, AND:

Whereas: The Perkins and Worcester Libraries provide access to audio, braille and large print books and magazines, newspapers by phone and online, and other accessible reading materials of local interest, not available from any other source; and

Whereas: operational costs for the Perkins and Worcester Libraries continue to increase due to usage and demand; and

Whereas: the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners has recommended a three percent funding increase for the Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library and the Worcester Talking Book Library for FY20 which would allow continued service delivery to the existing 25,000 borrowers and increased outreach to the estimated 100,000 eligible borrowers who are not aware of the program;

Now, therefore be it resolved, that the Bay State Council of the blind in convention assembled this ninth day of March 2019 in Burlington, Massachusetts, asks that the legislature appropriate an additional $90,806.00 in the Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library and the Worcester Talking Book Library accounts as follows:

Line Item 7000-9406 (Watertown) $77,645; and

Line Item 7000-9402 (Worcester) $13,251; resulting in an FY2020 appropriation for the Perkins Library of $2,665,800.00 and for the Worcester Talking Book Library of $468,217.00 — to enable the two libraries in Watertown and Worcester to continue to conduct important outreach and meet the accessible reading needs of the current 25,000 patrons utilizing this specialized service.

2018 Resolutions

Resolution 2018-01: Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Funding

Whereas: the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind faces a $1.55 million annual deficit due to historic and systemic factors including the new Federal requirement that 15% of Vocational Rehabilitation funds be reserved for narrowly defined student transition services, a 75% reduction in Federal reallotment funding in 2017, and a recent finding during a Federal audit that will require 1.55 million for the agency to achieve full compliance, a finding that was ignored in 2009, and;

Whereas: the MCB Commissioner and staff have worked diligently to achieve 3.3 million dollars in cost savings over the last 30 months, including the elimination of an innovative and highly successful program, Project Search, an internship-to-work program which had a 70 percent employment outcome rate, and;

Whereas: the successful rehabilitation of a blind person to a life of productive independence and full community participation must include specialized training in orientation and mobility, vision rehabilitation, and assistive technology, and;

Whereas: a lack of additional funding in FY2019 will result in the implementation of an order of selection, a Federally-required waiting list limiting which consumers receive the specialized Vocational Rehabilitation services essential for entry or reintegration into the work force, and;

Whereas: Social Rehabilitation services for adults and seniors who need specialized training including Orientation and Mobility and independent living skills to maintain their independence and community involvement after vision loss which for decades have been paid incorrectly by using vocational rehabilitation funds will need to be further cut despite the fact that seniors are the fastest growing population of legally blind citizens of the Commonwealth, and;

Whereas: the Community Services Account that funds social rehabilitation services, account 4110-1000, was cut by $31,000 by the Governor in the FY2018 budget despite a joint resolution passed by both the Bay State Council of the Blind and the National Federation of the Blind of Massachusetts recommending that this account be restored to fiscal year 2009 levels, and;

Whereas: The Governor’s proposed budget for the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind for fiscal year 2019 has recommended essentially level funding, and;

Whereas: the Governor when he was Secretary of Health and Human Services proposed MCB be consolidated with other disability related agencies, and;

Whereas: Commissioner Paul Saner has been attempting to work with the Baker administration and the legislature to procure additional funding that would restore MCB to fiscal stability;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED that the Bay State Council of the Blind in convention assembled on this tenth day of March, 2018 at the Marriott Hotel in Burlington, Massachusetts and the National Federation of the Blind of Massachusetts strongly urge the Baker administration and the legislature to appropriate the 1.55 million dollars in funding for the Community Services account that will allow the 26,000 blind residents of all ages to continue to receive the services they have obtained since the agency’s inception in 1906 as the first independent commission for the blind in the country, and;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Bay State Council of the Blind and the National Federation of the Blind of Massachusetts strongly oppose any efforts made now or in the future by the Baker administration and the legislature to consolidate MCB with any other agencies.

Resolution 2018-02: Braille and Talking Book Library

Whereas: state funding for the Perkins and Worcester Libraries has been level-funded for a second year in the Governor’s House 2 budget despite increased usage and cost, and;

Whereas: the Massachusetts Board of Library Commissioners has recommended a three percent funding increase for the Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library and the Worcester Talking Book Library which would allow continued service delivery to the existing 25,000 borrowers and increased outreach to the estimated 100,000 eligible borrowers who are not aware of the program;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, that the Bay State Council of the blind in convention assembled this tenth day of March 2018 in Burlington, Massachusetts, asks that the legislature appropriate an additional $88,634.00 for the Perkins Braille & Talking Book Library and the Worcester Talking Book Library accounts as follows:

Line Item 7000-9406 (Watertown) $75,383; and

Line Item 7000-9402 (Worcester) $13,251; resulting in an FY2019 appropriation for the Perkins Library of $2,588,155.00 and for the Worcester Talking Book Library of $454,966.00 — to enable the two libraries in Watertown and Worcester to continue to conduct important outreach and meet the accessible reading needs of the current 25,000 patrons utilizing this specialized service.

Resolution 2018-03: Common College Application Accessibility

Whereas: the Common College Application, or “Common App,” is a powerful interactive online tool that permits prospective students to apply to multiple colleges with a single application, search databases, track deadlines, and manage the submission of transcripts and test scores, and;

Whereas: the Common App is used by more than 5 million students every year to apply for admission to undergraduate programs, making it the primary way that American students apply to college, and;

Whereas: for approximately one third of the 700 member colleges and universities, the Common App is the only way for students to apply for admission, and;

Whereas: a 2015 review of the website by members of the Bay State Council of the Blind who are also experts in the field of assistive technology concluded that the Common App is largely inaccessible to blind students who use screen reader software, and;

Whereas: these experts documented several conversations with Common Application Inc., in which senior management was informed that the website was in violation of the Americans with Disabilities Act, and;

Whereas: the Common App remains inaccessible, in spite of the addition of accessible PDFs that blind students may complete, which permits an application to be filed but which does not include the interactive features of the website, and;

Whereas: the inaccessibility of the Common App also impacts blind guidance counselors and parents, who cannot use the tool for employment or to advise and support student applicants, and;

Whereas: an unequal application process creates an unnecessary barrier to higher education and employment for individuals who use adaptive technology;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the Bay State Council of the Blind in convention assembled on this tenth day of March, 2018 at the Marriott Hotel in Burlington Massachusetts that this organization will, together with the American Council of the Blind, and legal counsel, use its resources and influence to pursue full accessibility of the Common College Application.

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that BSCB requests the assistance of the American Council of the Blind with this issue including consideration of a resolution at the national conference and convention.

Resolution 2018-04: MBTA Ride Uber-Lyft Pilot Support

Whereas: in November of 2016, the MBTA began offering paratransit customers a pilot program with Uber and Lyft wherein the MBTA subsidizes trips through Uber and Lyft, and;

Whereas: this pilot offers on demand service which affords greater mobility and convenience for the paratransit customer than the regular service, and;

Whereas: those Bay State Council of the blind, (BSCB) members who currently use this pilot have reported improved service over and above that offered by the RIDE;

Now, therefore: be it resolved that the bay State council of the Blind in convention assembled on this tenth day of march, 2018 at the Marriott Hotel in Burlington, Massachusetts express its thanks and appreciation to Governor Baker and the MBTA for creating this On demand service program for its paratransit customers;

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that BSCB requests that the MBTA make an on demand service program utilizing transportation network companies a permanent part of its paratransit services and offer it to all of its paratransit customers.

2017 Resolutions

Resolution 2017-01: Restoring State Funding for Rehabilitation Services

Whereas: people who are legally blind receive rehabilitation services through the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind (MCB), which serves approximately

26,000 registered consumers; and

Whereas: the clear majority of active cases are funded through the MCB 4110-1000 Community Services account, which provides specialized independent living

services spanning all ages from legally blind children under the age of 14, working age adults not seeking employment, and seniors. This account also provides

essential community access for deaf blind consumers (through the Deaf Blind Community Access Network, or DBCAN; and

Whereas: the proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2018 is $4,207,203, approximately $338,000 below the level it was in FY2009, and the account has been funded

below FY2009 levels for the previous nine years; and

Whereas: the budget would need to increase by approximately $880,000 to equal FY2009 spending when adjusted for accumulated inflation of 11.9%; and

Whereas: the 4110-1000 account provides rehabilitation teaching and mobility training to seniors who nationally represent the largest and fastest-growing

cohort, since vision loss is highly correlated with age; and

Whereas: the 4110-1000 account presently has no funding for specialized assistive technology training despite considerable technology advances for the

blind since 2009; and

Whereas: due to a recent change in federal legislation, there is no longer funding for working age adults not seeking employment to receive rehabilitation

training as “homemakers”;

NOW, THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED, by the Bay State

Council of the Blind in convention assembled on this 25th day of

March, 2017, in Burlington, Massachusetts, that this organization

will publicly advocate

to our State Representatives, Senators, and

to the Governor for an increase of $880,000 to the MCB

4110-

1000

account to restore rehabilitation services to vulnerable blind

and deaf blind Massachusetts citizens.

Resolution 2017-02: Special Education funding

Whereas: the Bay State Council of the Blind (BSCB) has always supported a continuum of educational options for students who are blind or visually impaired

ranging from full mainstreaming in public and private schools to specialized residential placements; and

Whereas: the Massachusetts Special Education Circuit Breaker fund (line item 7061-0012) is supposed to reimburse local school districts for 75 percent

of the added costs of educating students with disabilities without regard to student placement; and

Whereas: the Governor’s FY 2018 House One Budget proposal level funds this account at $277,281,180.00; and

Whereas: the Massachusetts Department of Elementary and Secondary Education (DESE) projections indicate that this

account is not fully funded in order to meet the special education needs of our students with disabilities; and

Whereas: this lack of funding negatively impacts students with disabilities in areas such as graduation and dropout rates; and

Whereas: more than half of our special education schools now operate with a deficit budget; and

Whereas: the population of children with a wide variety of disabilities continues to increase due to medical advances which allow more and more premature

and low-birth weight infants to survive;

Now therefore, be it resolved that the Bay State Council of the Blind in convention assembled on this 25th day of March 2017 in Burlington, Massachusetts

asks the Massachusetts Legislature to fully fund the Special Education Circuit Breaker fund, (line item 7061-0012 at $295,281,180.00, which will allow

local school districts to meet the needs of a growing population of students with disabilities.

Resolution 2017-03: Creating an Office of Health Equity in Massachusetts

Whereas: the Bay State Council of the Blind (BSCB) advocates for accessible and high quality healthcare for all residents of the Commonwealth including

those who are blind or visually impaired; and

Whereas: a 2013 study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention documented the existence of health disparities based

on factors such as race, ethnicity, gender, disability, and income; and

Whereas: the absence of accessible websites, informational brochures, prescription labels, medical equipment, and transportation can present barriers to

good health care for patients who are blind or vision impaired; and

Whereas: Senator Michael Barrett has filed S600, an act to promote health equity, which would create an Office of Health Equity to study health disparities

experienced by marginalized populations based upon race, ethnicity, gender, sexual orientation, disability, and income;

Now, therefore, be it resolved, by the Bay State Council of the Blind in convention assembled on this 25th day of March, 2017, in Burlington, Massachusetts,

that this organization supports the passage of S600 by the Massachusetts Legislature, as the first step toward recognizing and eliminating health disparities

in Massachusetts.

2016 Resolutions

Resolution 2016-01: Categorical Services for people who are blind and visually impaired

Whereas: since 1906, vocational rehabilitation and social services have been provided to blind and visually impaired residents of the Commonwealth of Massachusetts by a commission for the blind; and,

Whereas: this arrangement allows for direct consumer input by means of a governor-appointed rehabilitation council; and,

Whereas: effective rehabilitation of blind and visually impaired persons requires a unique set of skills training in areas such as orientation and mobility, managing activities of daily living, braille, assistive technology and incidental learning; and,

Whereas: studies by Mississippi State University have proven that the most effective vocational rehabilitation and social services are provided by categorical service agencies which specialize in these unique skills areas; and,

Whereas: Governor Charles Baker, who wrote two papers—– one in 1996 and another in 2002 —–that recommended that services provided by a number of disability agencies be merged so as to provide these services more efficiently, is now considering the combining of disability agencies including the Massachusetts Commission for the blind, the Massachusetts Rehabilitation Commission and the Massachusetts Commission for the deaf and hard of hearing; and

Whereas: the Bay State Council of the Blind, (BSCB) is concerned that this type of merging will diminish both the service level currently provided by our Massachusetts commission for the Blind and the opportunity for direct consumer input afforded by the rehabilitation council;

Now, therefore: be it resolved that the Bay State Council of the Blind, (BSCB) in convention assembled on this fifth day of March, 2016 in Burlington Massachusetts, believes that vocational rehabilitation and social services should continue to be provided to blind, blind and multi-impaired and visually impaired residents of the Commonwealth by a separate and distinct Commission for the Blind; and,

Be it further resolved that BSCB is strongly opposed to any attempts by the governor or the legislature to combine any of the direct service budget line items of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind with the line items of other agencies.

2015 Resolutions

Resolution 2015-01: Parents with Disabilities in Family Court (H. 1370)

Whereas: a 2012 report by the National Council on Disability (NCD) documented widespread discrimination against adults with disabilities in family court proceedings; and,

Whereas: decisions to terminate parental rights, remove custody or deny parenting time to a capable parent based solely on their disability status violates the Americans with Disabilities Act; and,

Whereas: custody decisions should be based on the care that will be given to a child; and,

Whereas: a bill that is under consideration by the Massachusetts legislature (H. 1370) would require the court to use written findings to determine whether a parent’s disability causes harm to his or her child, and determine if the harm can be alleviated by adaptive equipment or supportive services; and,

Whereas: H. 1370 mirrors the recommended language in the NCD report; and,

Whereas: seven other states have already enacted similar legislation;

Now, therefore, be it resolved, by the Bay State Council of the Blind in convention assembled on this 29th day of March, 2015 in Burlington, Massachusetts, that BSCB asks the Massachusetts Legislature to pass H. 1370, an act prohibiting discrimination against adults with disabilities in family and juvenile court proceedings filed by Representative Paul Heroux of Attleboro; And,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization will permit the sponsors of H. 1370 to include BSCB on its list of organizational supporters.

Resolution 2015-02: Massachusetts Commission for the Blind Budget

Whereas: the Governor’s proposed budget for Fiscal Year 2016 includes a cut of $300,000.00 in the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind’s (MCB’s), Vocational Rehabilitation account, (line item 4110-3010); and,

Whereas: this line item funds programs designed to increase the employability and independence of blind citizens of the Commonwealth; and,

Whereas: services covered by this account range from technology training and college financial aid to training in job-readiness skills and outreach to employers designed to encourage employers to hire more qualified blind persons; and,

Whereas: if this cut appears in the final FY 2016 state budget, it will trigger a $600,000.00 cut in federal MCB vocational rehabilitation funds yielding a cumulative cut of $900,000.00;

Now, therefore: be it resolved that the Bay State council of the Blind in convention assembled this 29^th day of March 2015 in Burlington Massachusetts requests that the Massachusetts Legislature restore the $300,000.00 that was cut in the Governor’s FY 2016 budget proposal in the MCB Vocational Rehabilitation Account, (line item 4110-3010; and,

Be it further resolved that this organization opposes any earmarking language in the FY 2016 budget of MCB; and,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that if MCB employees are offered early retirement that provisions be put in place such that MCB will be able to maintain sufficient staffing to provide a similar level of services to that provided in FY 2015.