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

[Dennis Clark]

Hello Angie,
I didn't understand what you meant when you said that you hope the NFB does 
not participate in an appeal.  Could you explain further?
Thanks,
Dennis


----- Original Message ----- 
From: "Angie Matney" <angie at mpmail.net>
To: "NFBnet Blind Law Mailing List" <blindlaw at nfbnet.org>
Sent: Tuesday, November 28, 2006 8:00 PM
Subject: Re: [blindlaw] Judge rules money to be accessible to the blind


> 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.
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>>
>>> _______________________________________________
>>> blindlaw mailing list
>>> blindlaw at nfbnet.org
>>> http://www.nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/blindlaw
>>>
>>>
>>>
>
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>
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