Resolution 2023-1
Resolution on Accessible Prescription Medication Labeling
WHEREAS, more than 160,000 people in the Commonwealth of Virginia report that they are blind or have difficulty seeing, even while wearing glasses, which makes it difficult to read prescription medication container labels and other information about their medications provided by the pharmacist; and WHEREAS, people who are blind or have low vision currently manage their medication in alternative ways, such as noting the size of the bottle or the shape of the pill, or by placing a rubber band around the bottle; and WHEREAS, the size of the bottle or the shape of the medication may change when the prescription is renewed, making alternative methods of labeling less reliable; and WHEREAS, the more types of medication are taken, the harder it becomes to remember the specifics of each one and label it appropriately using these methods; and WHEREAS, while some pharmacy chains already provide accessible medication labeling, not all do. Individuals who do not drive must obtain their medication from the closest pharmacy, whether they provide accessible medication labeling or not, making it imperative that all pharmacies provide such labeling; and WHEREAS, several states, including Nevada, Oregon, Tennessee, Hawaii, Maryland, and Puerto Rico have passed legislation or adopted regulations to require accessible prescription container labeling; and WHEREAS, several methods currently exist to make medication labeling easily accessible, such as ScripTalk, which allows pharmacists to create audible labels in English and translated languages at a minimal annual cost that can be accessed with an app on a smartphone: NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia, in Convention assembled this fifth day of November, 2023,in the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, that this organization urge the Virginia General Assembly to adopt laws requiring accessible labeling of prescription medication containers in the medium of the individuals’ choice.
RESOLUTION 2023-2
State Legislation to Permit Electronic Return of Mail-In Ballots
WHEREAS, the ability to cast a secret ballot independently is a cornerstone of our democracy that enables citizens to vote their conscience without fear; and WHEREAS, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires that voters with print disabilities be afforded the opportunity to mark and return their mail-in ballot privately and independently, equivalent to the opportunity afforded to voters without disabilities; and WHEREAS, Section 24.2-704 of the Virginia Code permits an accessible online ballot-marking tool that allows blind users to mark a mail-in ballot privately and independently, but Virginia law does not permit ballots marked with this tool to be returned electronically; and WHEREAS, the requirement to print out a mail-in ballot after marking it privately and independently with Virginia’s accessible online ballot-marking tool is a barrier that prevents some blind voters from using the online ballot-marking tool because they need the assistance of a sighted person to 1) confirm that the ballot printed correctly, 2) show them where to sign the ballot oath, and 3) address an envelope to their local board of elections; and WHEREAS, the lack of electronic ballot return is also a barrier to many blind voters because they do not own a printer and therefore need to have someone else print their ballot or use a public printer, compromising their right to privacy and independence; and WHEREAS, long mailing times experienced by military and overseas voters sometimes result in their ballots not being received at their elections office in time to be counted, thus resulting in their disenfranchisement, and the same fate can befall blind Virginians who use the accessible online ballot-marking tool even if all the other barriers to returning their mail-in ballots are surmounted; and WHEREAS, the ability to return a mail-in ballot electronically would ensure that the entire process of voting by mail would be accessible to voters with print disabilities, and would further ensure that their ballots and the mail-in ballots of military and overseas voters would be received at the elections office in time to be counted; and WHEREAS, the electronic return of mail-in ballots is currently available to both military and overseas voters and voters with disabilities in Colorado, Delaware, Hawaii, Louisiana, Maine, Massachusetts, Nevada, North Carolina, North Dakota, Rhode Island, Utah, and West Virginia: Now therefore BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia in Convention assembled this fifth day of November, 2023, in the City of Williamsburg, Virginia, that this organization urge that the Virginia General Assembly pass legislation to permit the electronic return of mail-in ballots for both military and overseas voters and voters with disabilities.
Resolution 2023-3
Expediting the Eligibility Process for Seniors for DBVI Services
WHEREAS, medical conditions such as glaucoma, macular degeneration, diabetes and heart disease often result in vision loss; and WHEREAS, many seniors will experience vision loss from one of these conditions; and WHEREAS, vision loss often leads to depression, isolation, and feelings of helplessness and dependence until the individual learns the alternative techniques blind and low-vision people use to live and function independently; and WHEREAS, the Department for the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI) is the state agency in Virginia that employs rehabilitation teachers to provide in-home services and instruction in areas such as home and medication management, orientation and mobility, access to print material, etc. so newly blind seniors can live as independently as they did prior to their vision loss; and WHEREAS, the blind or low-vision residents in Virginia need to be determined eligible for these services; and WHEREAS, it is currently taking six weeks and a tremendous amount of paperwork to establish eligibility before in-home instruction can be scheduled and provided: NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia, in Convention assembled this fifth day of November, 2023,in the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, that this organization urge DBVI to streamline this eligibility process to expedite and improve service delivery through reducing the amount of time between referral and service delivery to seniors; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that rehabilitation teachers be encouraged to refer seniors to the NFBV to network with other blind and low-vision seniors throughout the Commonwealth.
Resolution 2023-4
Accessible Traffic Signals
WHEREAS, Pedestrians who are blind should have the same ability to safely move about residential and business areas as those who have sight; and WHEREAS, today's high traffic volume has increased the risks that pedestrians could be struck by vehicles;and WHEREAS, audible traffic devices and supporting technologies can improve the safety of crossing intersections when the devices are properly employed; and WHEREAS, a survey of blind persons conducted by a member of the Potomac Chapter of the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia (NFBV), asked blind persons who live or travel in Arlington Virginia about their preferences for types of accessible traffic signals; and WHEREAS, the results demonstrate an overwhelming desire for accessible traffic signals designed to give blind persons the same information as is available to persons who are sighted; and WHEREAS, over 92 percent of those surveyed wanted information to include a verbal indication of which street to cross, and over 96 percent wanted the same count-down information provided to sighted pedestrians: NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia, in Convention assembled this fifth day of November, 2023,in the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, that this organization demand that local governments work with the NFBV to ensure that traffic signals meet the needs of blind pedestrians by offering the same information offered to persons who are sighted, including the street for which the walk sign is on and a countdown of the time remaining to cross; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED, that the government entities involved in decisions on audible crosswalk signals work with the NFBV on all decisions affecting crosswalk safety for the blind, including the use of current and emerging technologies.
Resolution 2023-5
Accessibility in the Virginia Department of the Blind's Application and Documentation Process
WHEREAS, the National Federation of the Blind is committed to ensuring that blind and low-vision people have full and equal access to all information and technology; and WHEREAS, the Virginia Department of the Blind and Vision Impaired (DBVI) is the state agency responsible for providing services to blind, Deafblind, and low-vision Virginians; and WHEREAS, the current application process, waver forms, and crucial information materials for current and potential consumers is not accessible; and Whereas, the documentation process at DBVI is not accessible to blind and low-vision staff, creating a barrier to equal access in full participation of the agencies responsibilities and expectations; and Whereas, currently agency staff who are blind, Deafblind and low-vision have to create their own documentation in an accessible format: NOW THEREFORE BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia, in Convention assembled this fifth day of November, 2023,in the city of Williamsburg, Virginia, that the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia call upon the DBVI to take immediate steps to make its application and documentation process accessible to blind, Deafblind, and low-vision people; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that specifically, the NFBV calls upon DBVI to: Make all application and documentation materials available in accessible formats, such as electronic formats with text-based alternatives, audio, and Braille formats; Provide assistive technology and other accommodations to blind and low-vision people who need assistance completing the application and documentation process; Train staff on how to provide accessible services to blind, Deafblind, and low-vision people; and Consult with the National Federation of the Blind of Virginia on how to improve the accessibility of its application and documentation process; and BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the NFBV calls upon DBVI to take steps to make its internal documentation accessible to blind and low-vision staff. This could include converting PDF and Word documents to accessible formats, creating forms that can be easily completed using screen readers, and providing assistive technology and other accommodations to staff who need them.