[Arizona-students] NFBA legislative luncheon talking points

[Allison Hilliker]

Gabe,

Any blind person can come to this.  We're working to improve the lives of
all blind Arizonians after all.  No card-carrying is necessary at any of our
events.  They're always open to everyone.

I look forward to seeing you at the luncheon!

 <smile>.

Allison:
Vice President, Arizona Association of Blind Students.



----- Original Message ----- 
From: "The Blind Network" <info at theblindtechsnetwork.com>
To: "Arizona Association of Blind Students List"
<arizona-students at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 22, 2008 2:45 PM
Subject: Re: [Arizona-students] NFBA legislative luncheon talking points


> can any blind person come to this or do we have to be card carrying
> members?
> The Blind Network
> www.theblindtechsnetwork.com
> info at theblindtechsnetwork.com
> 623-565-9357 (west phoenix Arizona)
> 480-297-7569 (East Phoenix Arizona)
> 562-219-2309 (Los Angeles California)
>
>
>
>
> On Jan 22, 2008, at 6:58 AM, Krezguy wrote:
>
>> From Sami Hamed, Chair
> NFBA legislative committee -
>
> Hello, fellow Federationists,
>
> As you know, Thursday, January 24 is our annual legislative luncheon.
> Please try to arrive at the Capitol's Grand Canyon Room (lower level
> of the
> capitol
>
>
>
> Building) by 11:00 AM, and be prepared to stay until about 2:30 PM.
> We need
> a good turnout to be effective and have a lasting presence.  Please call
> your fellow NFBA members to
>
>
>
> urge them to attend, have lunch, and meet with their representatives and
> senators.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> Please, if you haven't already done so, personally phone or e-mail
> your two
> representatives and one senator to participate in our luncheon.  If
> you need
>
>
>
> info about your own legislator, you can contact your senator and
> representatives by phone at:
>
>
>
>
>
> *       AZ House and Senate Tucson Office: (520) 398-6000
> *       Senate-Phoenix: (602) 926-3559
> *       House-Phoenix: (602) 926-4221
> *       Toll Free: 1-800-352-8404
>
>
>
>
>
> This legislative session, we, as the NFBA, will be focusing on three
> important issues with our legislators.  We need them to understand
> that the
> $500,000 appropriation made last year for Independent Living Services
> for
> the blind must be preserved and not eliminated.  The Department of
> Economic
>
>
>
> Services / RSA program, has been vastly underfunded, and the
> appropriation
> only makes a start at providing adequate services.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> We are asking the legislature to pass a model bill that helps protect
> pedestrian safety with silent hybrid automobiles.  This is also a
> national
> initiative, but the federal bill will have a better chance of passing if
> states pass their own bills.  Therefore, we, the NFBA, must get this
> passed
> in order for the Federal Government to recognize that this is a national
> issue and must be done for all of the Blind in the United States.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> We have been successful in helping pass an accessible textbook law for
> children kindergarten through high school.  Now we turn our attention to
>
>
>
> making instructional materials accessible for college and university
> students.  We are having difficulties with passing a federal law, so our
>
>
>
> national leadership has asked us to work at passing a state law that
> helps
> make post-secondary educational material accessible in order to put
> pressure
> on
>
>
>
> federal lawmakers.  Last year, the Maryland General Assembly, Senate,
> and
> Governor Martin O'Malley, passed a state accessible instructional
> materials
> text book law for college students who are Blind and attending Maryland
> Colleges and Universities.  We can pass this in Arizona.  We have a
> great
> chance to make this happen, so let's get it done and let's start
> advocating
> for passage of our soon-to-be legislative bill for Arizona.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> The two model bills are attached and also appended to the bottom of this
>
>
>
> message.
>
>
>
>
>
>
>
> I look forward to seeing all of you at our legislative luncheon on
> Thursday,
> January 24th.  If you have any questions, please contact our
> President, Bob
> Kresmer or me.
>
> Best,
>
> Sami Hamed, Chairman
>
> NFBA Legislative Committee
>
> Cell: (520) 490-1633
>
> Home: (520) 903-1190
>
> Email:  Govhamed at aol.com
>
> Talking Points for the Arizona Legislature NFBA Legislative Luncheon
> January
> 24, 2008
>
>
> This year, we, the NFBA, are urging our legislators to preserve the 2007
> appropriation of $500,000.00 to fund the RSA Independent Living
> services for
> the blind of Arizona.   The appropriation enjoyed wide bi-partisan
> support,
> and addresses a long-time need that has never been adequately addressed.
>
> The additional funding is already begun to cause an increase in the
> level of
> services to the senior blind in our state.  Because the funding did not
> actually flow to the Rehabilitation Services Administration until late
> 2007,
> we cannot yet accurately claim exactly how many blind seniors have
> benefited
> from the appropriation.
>
>
> The state of Arizona will, after the first year of the additional
> appropriation, be able to assure legislators how many, and in what
> ways, the
> senior blind have had their lives improved.  Please do not cancel a
> long-needed program in order to meet this year's budget crunch.
>
>
>
> Model Quiet Car Legislation
> Talking Points for the Arizona Legislature NFBA Legislative Luncheon
> January
> 24, 2008
>
>
> The purpose of this legislation is to establish a minimum sound level
> standard for all phases of vehicle operation, which is to be
> applicable to
> every new vehicle sold in Arizona and licensed for use on our cities and
> counties streets and roadways.
>
> .       The total number of hybrid vehicles sold per year in Arizona is
> growing dramatically, and although the present number of hybrid vehicles
> constitutes a small overall percentage of vehicles, if this rate of
> growth
> persists, the number of hybrid vehicles will soon equal or exceed the
> number
> of internal combustion engine vehicles.  Currently, all hybrid and
> electric
> vehicles sold in Arizona do not make any sound at all.
>
> .       We, as Blind pedestrians, cannot locate and evaluate traffic
> using
> vision.  We must listen to traffic to determine its speed, direction,
> and
> distance in order to travel safely and independently; and other people,
> including pedestrians who are not blind, bicyclists, runners, and small
> children, benefit from multi-sensory information available from vehicle
> traffic, including the sound of vehicle engines.
>
> .       When operating, hybrid vehicles sold in Arizona, cannot be
> heard by
> blind people and others, rendering such vehicles extremely dangerous
> when
> driving on the street, emerging from driveways, moving through parking
> lots,
> and in other situations where pedestrians and vehicles come into
> proximity
> with each other.
>
> .       Failure by the State of Arizona to take immediate action
> assuring
> that blind pedestrians can hear hybrid and other silent vehicles in all
> phases of their operation will lead to pedestrian injuries and
> fatalities.
> This would also cause several problems for the state's auto insurance
> industry and for city and county law enforcement that enforce all
> local and
> state traffic laws.
>
> .       Fatalities and injuries can be avoided through vehicle designs
> which
> take into account the multi-sensory nature of traffic detection and
> avoidance and require that vehicles emit a minimum level of sound
> designed
> to alert all pedestrians, especially blind pedestrians, to the
> presence of
> electric and hybrid vehicles.
>
> .       Passage of this legislation will not result in any cost to
> Arizona
> taxpayers.  The only persons who would be bearing the cost are persons
> who
> purchase and lease electric and hybrid vehicles.
>
> .       Passage by the Arizona Legislature of a Model Quiet Safety
> Pedestrian Bill is urgent for the safety and security of Blind of
> Arizona
> and all persons who travel on Arizona streets and roadways.
>
>
> Arizona Equal Access to Instructional
> Materials in Higher Education Legislation Talking Points for the Arizona
> Legislature NFBA Legislative Luncheon January 24, 2008
>
>
> This year, we, the NFBA, are urging our legislators to pass the Arizona
> Equal Access to Instructional Materials in Higher Education Bill.  The
> purpose of the Equal Access to Instructional Materials in Higher
> Education
> Bill will benefit blind and other eligible students by:
>
> 1.      improving literacy,
> 2.      enhancing performance in higher education,
> 3.      improving employability, and
> 4.      reducing the cost of acquiring instructional materials in
> accessible
> formats, including Braille.
>
> .       By supporting the passage of the Accessible Instructional
> Materials
> for Higher Education for Arizona college students, the publisher can
> provide
> the book in a simple electronic format.  With technology changing
> constantly, this will allow for publishers to have the text books
> available
> to the colleges and universities without delay or additional cost to the
> college and university bookstore and the publishers.
>
> .       In our Legislative Bill, the publishers will be consulted on the
> formatting of the text book and both the consumer and the publisher,
> must
> mutually decide an acceptable formats.  If the publisher and the college
> and/or university cannot agree upon a format, the publisher will then
> provide the file in another mutually agreed upon computer or electronic
> format, such as Microsoft Word or LaTex.
>
> .       Under our legislation, the publisher does not necessarily
> supply the
> accessible instructional materials directly to the student; the college
> and/or university must supply the instructional material to the eligible
> student in the accessible format of the student's choice.  This is
> done in
> order for the publisher to work with the college and university as other
> students get their text book from the college and/or university book
> store.
>
>
> .       In our legislation, the publisher shall provide the computer or
> electronic version of the printed instructional materials to the
> eligible
> student or educational institution, at no additional cost.  Any
> student who
> requests a text book in an electronic format will be the same price as
> any
> other student pays for a print text book.  There would be no
> additional cost
> to the publisher or the student.
>
> .       In this legislation, the colleges and/or universities will not
> copy,
> publish, or in any other way distribute the accessible version of the
> instructional materials for use by anyone other than the student.
>
> .       We are not mandating that every text book must be sold to all
> blind
> students; we are only asking that they be available upon request to
> blind
> students who want them an in accessible format in order to complete
> their
> required assignments at any of our state's colleges and universities.
>
> Model Quiet Car Legislation
>
> Section 1.  This Act shall be known as the "Pedestrian Safety
> Enhancement
> Act of 2008."
>
> Section 2.  Definitions.
> (a) "Vehicle" means anything licensed for transporting people or goods
> on
> public roadways including but not limited to a car, van, light truck,
> cargo
> truck, or bus.
>
> Section 3.  Findings and Purpose.
> (a) The General Assembly of this state finds that:
> (1)     Vehicles designed to provide the desirable benefits of reducing
> harmful pollutants and operating with greater fuel efficiency include
> gasoline-electric hybrid and electric-only vehicles, and in the
> foreseeable
> future may include hydrogen fuel cell and other engine designs that
> rely on
> fuels and technologies other than the gasoline-powered internal
> combustion
> engine.
> (2)     All of the vehicle engine designs specified in (1) above, as
> well as
> other designs not specified herein, operate or are likely to operate
> with
> virtually no sound being produced by the vehicle.
> (3)     The total number of hybrid vehicles sold per year in this
> state is
> growing dramatically, and although the present number of hybrid vehicles
> constitutes a small overall percentage of vehicles, if this rate of
> growth
> persists, the number of hybrid vehicles will soon equal or exceed the
> number
> of internal combustion engine vehicles in this state.
> (4)     Because blind pedestrians cannot locate and evaluate traffic
> using
> their vision, they must listen to traffic to discern its speed,
> direction,
> and other attributes in order to travel safely and independently; and
> other
> people, including pedestrians who are not blind, bicyclists, runners,
> and
> small children, benefit from multi-sensory information available from
> vehicle traffic, including the sound of vehicle engines.
> (5)     When operating on their electric engines, hybrid vehicles sold
> in
> this state cannot be heard by blind people and others, rendering such
> vehicles extremely dangerous when driving on the street, emerging from
> driveways, moving through parking lots, and in other situations where
> pedestrians and vehicles come into proximity with each other.
> (6)     Failure of this state to take immediate action assuring that
> blind
> pedestrians can hear hybrid and other silent vehicles in all phases of
> their
> operation will lead to pedestrian injuries and fatalities.
> (7)     The results described in (6) above are preventable through
> vehicle
> designs which take into account the multi-sensory nature of traffic
> detection and avoidance and require that vehicles emit a minimum level
> of
> sound designed to alert all pedestrians, especially blind pedestrians,
> to
> the presence of said vehicles.
> (b) The purpose of this legislation is to establish a minimum sound
> level
> standard for all phases of vehicle operation, which is to be
> applicable to
> every new vehicle sold in this state and licensed for use on its public
> streets and roadways when sold and registered after a specified date.
>
> Section 4.
> (a) Within one year of enactment of this Act, the agency or agencies
> in this
> state having jurisdiction over vehicle emissions and vehicle/pedestrian
> safety shall promulgate regulations establishing a minimum sound
> standard
> applicable to vehicles sold in and licensed to travel the public roads
> of
> this state.
> (b) The standard promulgated shall have all of the following
> characteristics:
> (1)     In all phases of operation, including times when the vehicle
> is at a
> full stop, vehicles shall emit an omni-directional sound with similar
> spectral characteristics to those of a modern internal combustion
> engine.
> (2)     The sound shall vary in a way that is consistent with the
> sound of
> vehicles with combustion engines indicating that the vehicle is idling,
> maintaining a constant speed, accelerating, or decelerating.
> (3)     The regulations need not prescribe the apparatus, technology, or
> method to be used by vehicle manufacturers to achieve the required
> minimum
> sound level.
> (c) When determining a minimum sound level, the state agency or agencies
> crafting regulations pursuant to this Act shall:
> (1)     review all available research regarding the effect of traffic
> sounds
> on pedestrian safety; and
> (2)     consult consumer groups representing individuals who are blind,
> other pedestrians, cyclists, and advocates for the safety of children.
>
> Section 5.  No later than two years after the minimum sound standard
> required by this legislation has been promulgated, all new vehicles
> sold in
> this state and licensed for use on the public roads must be in
> compliance
> with the standard.
>
> Section 6.  Beginning one year after the date that new vehicles must
> comply
> with the minimum sound standard, vehicle safety inspections required
> in this
> state shall include inspection of the sound-emitting components to
> insure
> that they are functioning properly in order to provide maximum safety to
> pedestrians in this state.  Vehicles that fail to meet the minimum sound
> standard shall not be certified to travel on the roads of this state.
>
> Section 7.  This Act shall take effect immediately upon its enactment.
>
>
>
> Model Bill:
> Equal Access to Instructional Materials in Higher Education
>
>
> SECTION 1.  SHORT TITLE-This act may be cited as the "Equal Access to
> Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act."
>
> SECTION 2.  PURPOSE-The purpose of the Equal Access to Instructional
> Materials in Higher Education Act is to provide instructional
> materials in
> an accessible format to blind and other eligible students as defined
> in this
> Act at the same time as the corresponding printed instructional
> material is
> made available.  The Equal Access to Instructional Materials in Higher
> Education Act will benefit blind and other eligible students by:
>
>        A.  improving literacy,
>
>        B.  enhancing performance in higher education,
>
>        C.  improving employability, and
>
>        D. reducing the cost of acquiring instructional materials in
> accessible formats, including Braille.
>
> SECTION 3.  DEFINITIONS-
>
>        A.  "Accessible format" means one of several alternatives to
> traditional print, including Braille, audio recordings, large print, and
> computer text files.
>
>        B.  "Braille" means the tactile system of reading and writing
> used
> by persons who are blind, as defined by the Braille Authority of North
> America.
>
>        C.  "Department" refers to the State department of education.
>
>        D.  "Educational institution" means all public or private
> postsecondary educational institutions.
>
>        E.  "Instructional materials" means textbooks (including
> teacher's
> editions) and other materials that are required or essential to
> success in a
> course of study, including computerized, electronic, or Internet-based
> course materials, assignments, and tests.
>
>        F.  "Structural integrity" means the entire contents of the
> printed
> instructional materials, including the text of the material, sidebars,
> table
> of contents, chapter headings and subheadings, footnotes, captions,
> indexes,
> glossaries, bibliographies, pictures, illustrations, graphs, and charts,
> organized in a manner consistent with the original printed instructional
> materials.
>
>        G.  "Eligible student" means a person who is accepted by,
> enrolled
> at, or attending an educational institution and who is also eligible to
> receive services from the National Library Service for the Blind and
> Physically Handicapped of the Library of Congress.
>
>        H.  "Textbook" means a book, a system of instructional
> materials, or
> a combination of a book and supplementary instructional material that
> conveys information to the student or otherwise contributes to the
> learning
> process, including electronic textbooks.
>
> SECTION 4. INSTRUCTIONAL MATERIALS-
>
> A.      A publisher that prints instructional materials for eligible
> students attending educational institutions shall provide the electronic
> file in one of the methods below.
>
> (1)     Provide to the educational institution's designated coordinator,
> upon request of the eligible student, any printed instructional
> materials in
> a computer or electronic file which can be easily converted to the
> accessible format of the student's choice.
> (2)     Provide the accessible copy of the instructional materials
> directly
> to the eligible student in the accessible format of the student's
> choice.
>
>        B.  The format used by the publisher shall include any
> nationally
> recognized or generally accepted standard for conversion of files to
> Braille, such as DAISY 3.0.
>
>        C.  If no nationally recognized or generally accepted standard
> is
> appropriate, publishers shall provide the file in another mutually
> agreed
> upon computer or electronic format, such as Microsoft Word or LaTex.
>
>        D.  The educational institution may:
>
>                (1) use the computer or electronic version of the
> printed
> instructional materials that is provided by the publisher to produce the
> accessible version of the instructional materials;
>
>                (2) supply the material to a third-party transcription
> company which will in turn produce the accessible version of the
> instructional materials; or
>
>                (3) supply the electronic or computer file directly to
> the
> eligible student.
>
> In any case, when the publisher does not supply the accessible
> instructional
> materials directly to the eligible student, the educational
> institution must
> supply the instructional material to the eligible student in the
> accessible
> format of the student's choice.
>
>        E.  The computer or electronic version of the printed
> instructional
> materials supplied by the publisher shall:
>
>                (1) comply with any applicable federal standard;
>
>                (2) otherwise maintain the structural integrity of the
> printed instructional materials;
>
>                (3) include copies of all pictures, illustrations,
> graphs,
> and charts, organized in a manner consistent with the original printed
> instructional materials; and
>
> (4) include corrections and revisions as necessary.
>
>        F.  The publisher shall provide the computer or electronic
> version
> of the printed instructional materials to the eligible student or
> educational institution, at no additional cost, and within ten
> business days
> after receipt of a written request that does all of the following:
>
>                (1) certifies that the eligible student has purchased
> the
> printed instructional materials;
>
>                (2) certifies that the student is an eligible student as
> defined in section 3 of this Act; and
>
>                (3) certifies that the printed instructional materials
> are
> for use by the eligible student in connection with a course at the
> educational institution.
>
>        G.  A publisher may require that the request include a statement
> signed by both the eligible student and the educational institution
> agreeing
> that:
>
>                (1) the educational institution will not copy,
> publish, or
> in any other way distribute the accessible version of the instructional
> materials for use by anyone other than the original eligible student,
> except
> that the educational institution may provide the accessible version of
> the
> instructional materials to another eligible student who has made a
> request
> pursuant to F above and who has signed a statement agreeing to the terms
> contained in this section, unless it is otherwise permitted by federal
> law;
> and
>
>                (2) the eligible student will not copy, publish, or in
> any
> other way distribute the accessible version of the printed instructional
> materials to any other person.
>
>        H.  A publisher who manufactures instructional materials using
> any
> type of video or audio format, CD ROM, or other digital format for
> eligible
> students attending educational institutions shall, upon request,
> provide an
> accessible version of the instructional materials, subject to the same
> conditions and limitations as for printed instructional materials.
>
>        I.  Nothing in the Equal Access to Instructional Materials in
> Higher
> Education Act shall be deemed to authorize any use of instructional
> materials that would constitute an infringement of copyright pursuant to
> applicable federal copyright law.
>
> SECTION 5.  GUIDELINES-The department, in consultation with
> representatives
> from educational institutions, shall adopt guidelines consistent with
> the
> Equal Access to Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act for the
> implementation and administration of this Act.  The guidelines shall
> address
> all of the following:
>
>        A.  procedures for the suspension of publishers that fail to
> comply
> with the provisions of the Equal Access to Instructional Materials in
> Higher
> Education Act;
>
>        B.  an administrative complaint process to be followed for
> complaints against a publisher or institution of higher education;
>
>        C.  development of a list of approved third party transcription
> companies for use by educational institutions; and
>
>        D.  any other matters the department deems necessary or
> appropriate
> to carry out the purposes of the Equal Access to Instructional
> Materials in
> Higher Education Act.
>
> SECTION 6.  PRIVATE RIGHT OF ACTION-An eligible student who contends
> that
> there has been a violation of the Equal Access to Instructional
> Materials in
> Higher Education Act has the right to pursue a private right of action
> in a
> court of competent jurisdiction if the eligible student has exhausted
> the
> administrative complaint process.  Organizations representing the
> interests
> of persons who are blind or of other eligible students shall have
> standing
> to assert any right afforded in the Equal Access to Instructional
> Materials
> in Higher Education Act and shall be subject to the same requirements
> and
> terms as an eligible student.  If the eligible student or organization
> should prevail in a lawsuit, the eligible student or organization
> shall be
> entitled to injunctive and monetary relief and attorney's fees and costs
> incurred in the litigation.
>
>
>
> <Model Bill Equal Access to Instructional Materials in Higher
> Education act.doc><Model Quiet Cars Legislation Final
> 11-27-07.doc><NFBA AZ Quiet Car Pedestrian Talking Points
> Sheet.doc><NFBA AZ Text Book Talking Points
> Sheet.doc>_______________________________________________
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