2005 RESOLUTIONS AS ADOPTED

Resolution 2005-1

Concerning Accessibility

of Computer Programs Purchased

by State and Local Governments

WHEREAS many blind government employees as well as those who receive government services have reported a decreasing level of accessibility in accessing information on the web and contained in both custom-made and off-the shelf software, AND,

WHEREAS, accessibility is mandated by Law AND,

WHEREAS, building or buying accessible software is easier than fixing inaccessible software after the fact AND,

WHEREAS, governments routinely fail to beta test software at the developmental or purchasing phase;

NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois in convention assembled this 6th day of November 2005, in the city of Rock Island, Illinois that this organization call upon both state and local government to seek NFB certification and blind employee input during beta test of all prepackaged software before it is purchased AND,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois in convention assembled this 6th day of November 2005, in the city of Rock Island, Illinois that this organization call upon both state and local government to beta test all custom made software while it is being developed AND,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call on state and local governments to mandate that if a beta test is not passed the inaccessible software implementation be delayed until it passes a beta test AND,

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call on state and local governments to mandate that no inaccessible software be purchased and that all software used by those governments be accessible

Download Resolution 2005-01 as a Microsoft Word Document

Download Resolution 2005-01 as a Rich Text format file

RESOLUTION 2005-02

in support of

continued opportunities for blind vendors

operating under the Randolph-Sheppard Act

WHEREAS: the Randolph-Sheppard Act, enacted in 1936, extends blind persons the opportunity to achieve self-sufficiency and success by granting the blind a preference in operating businesses that retail food and other items on federal property; AND,

WHEREAS: The thousands of blind men and women who have participated in this, the oldest job opportunity program for the blind, have demonstrated that adequately trained and skilled blind people are quite capable of managing successful businesses, often managing and supervising several employees and tracking considerable inventories; AND,

Whereas: the Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions (HELP) recently conducted a hearing at which testimony was presented regarding the success of the Randolph-Sheppard program, as well as testimony regarding a parallel but dissimilar program, established under the Javits-Wagner-O'Day (JWOD) Act

that offers the blind, and other persons regarded as being "severely disabled" what is often subsistence-level employment in a setting which more generously rewards those companies and persons that administer the program; AND,

WHEREAS: The staff of the HELP Committee wrote a report that attacks the Randolph-Sheppard Act and then recommends that the Randolph-Sheppard Act be combined with JWOD, basing this recommendation on a characterization of blind vendors and of the program that is scurrilous and inaccurate, AND,

Whereas: In contrast to the success experienced and exhibited by blind vendors, most disabled participants under the JWOD program continue to rely on government assistance, having neither the opportunity to experience success nor the opportunity to demonstrate, through their examples, that blind persons can compete as business owners on terms of equality; AND

WHEREAS: Many blind business owners, including those who operate vending facilities under the Randolph-Sheppard Act, employ blind persons and persons with other disabilities in percentages greater than those demonstrated by private industry generally; AND,

WHEREAS: the inaccurate report compiled by the HELP Committee has the potential to result in legislation that will dismantle this essential opportunity for so many blind persons;

NOW THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Illinois, in convention assembled this fifth day of November, 2005 in the city of Rock Island, Illinois, that this organization challenge the HELP Committee's distorted characterization of the Randolph-Sheppard program;

AND BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization oppose any legislation that would eliminate this opportunity in exchange for the limited opportunities available under JWOD.