WHEREAS
the blind of Florida have the right to rehabilitation services that
address our
unique needs; and
WHEREAS
the National Federation of the Blind of Florida resolved in 2001 to
support the
formation of a State Commission for the Blind, an independent
consumer-controlled organization, made up of 9 Commissioners
as such a
Commission would respond to blind consumers; and
WHEREAS
the State legislature has not moved to create such a Commission but
has moved
the Division of Blind Services from the Department of Education to
the
Department of Labor and back to the Department of Education again;
and
WHEREAS
the State legislature has not acted to create such a Commission but
has
explored privatizing the Division of the Blind; and
WHEREAS
the State legislature has not moved to create such a Commission but
is working
to dismantle the Division of the Blind by proposing to incorporate
blind services
into an agency to serve all disabilities; and
WHEREAS
it has become obvious that the legislature of the State of Florida
does not have a
clear idea of the unique needs of the blind or how to best serve our
needs and
has failed to ask us, the State's largest disability organization,
The National
Federation of the Blind of Florida, what we want and need
THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED
by the National Federation of the Blind of Florida assembled in Convention
this
30th day of May, 2005, in the city of Boca Raton, that we strongly
oppose,
object to and condemn all efforts to transfer the Division of
Blind services to a
department of Disabilities; and
BE It Further Resolved
that we, the organized blind of Florida, loudly and clearly restate
our
enthusiastic, unshakable resolve that the Florida State Legislature
place all blind
services under a single, independent Commission , reporting directly
to the
Governor and Legislature.