[blindlaw] Judge rules money to be accessible to the blind

[Angie Matney]

OK, here's my opinion, for what it's worth.

This isn't the most important issue we're dealing with--not by a long shot. But I really, really hope the NFB doesn't participate in an appeal of this ruling. This will eventually come to pass, and I'm not completely convinced it shouldn't. Do 
we **need** it? No, not in the way we need power to *earn* money. Will it enrich people's lives? Absolutely.

I read the district court judge's ruling (there's a link to it in the article). It's fascinating. Some of the objections by the department of the treasury seem to be based on a belief that they are "above" accessibility and the law. They argue 
they are not covered by section 504. According to the judge, they misrepresented facts to make it look like this will be more expensive to implement than it actually would be.

So, again, while I don't view accessible currency as something that's very important, I don't think it needs to be appealed, since these featuers will eventually be incorporated into currency anyway.

I'll post the ruling if anybody wants to read the whole thing.

Angie 



On Tue, 28 Nov 2006 22:44:07 -0500, Rod Alcidonis  wrote:

>I love the ruling. Other countries are doing it, why not the U.S?

>Rod 
>-----Original Message-----
>From: blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org [mailto:blindlaw-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
>Behalf Of Sceach Blackwolf
>Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 6:44 PM
>To: NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List
>Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Judge rules money to be accessible to the blind

>At first I was scornful of this idea (yeesh, fold your money!) but I've come
>to like the idea. Maybe it will cut down on blind people being ripped off.

>CT

>On 11/28/06, dlb723 <dlb723 at comcast.net> wrote:
>>
>> Judge says Treasury Department is violating the law by keeping all money
>> the same size and feel.
>> November 28 2006: 5:30 PM EST
>>
>> NEW YORK (CNNMoney.com) -- A federal judge has ruled that the U.S.
>> Treasury Department is violating the law by failing to design and issue
>> currency that
>> is readily distinguishable to blind and visually impaired people.
>>
>> Judge James Robertson, in a ruling on a suit by the American Council of
>> the Blind, ordered the Treasury to devise a method to tell bills apart.
>>
>> dollar_money_press_print.03.jpg
>>
>> The judge wrote that the current configuration of paper money violates the
>> Rehabilitation Act's guarantee of "meaningful access."
>>
>> "It can no longer be successfully argued that a blind person has
>> 'meaningful access' to currency if she cannot accurately identify paper
>> money without assistance,"
>> Robertson wrote in his ruling.
>>
>> He further ruled that finding a solution to the problem would not be an
>> "undue burden" on the government and ordered the Treasury Department to
>> begin working
>> on a solution within 30 days.
>>
>> The American Council for the Blind has submitted several alternatives,
>> including embossing, holes punched in the paper or using different-sized
>> bills for
>> different denominations.
>>
>> The Treasury Department had no comment on the ruling.
>>
>>
>>
>>
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>>
>>

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