The official policy statements of the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa are established every year with annual resolutions adopted at the state convention.

The resolutions committee meets early during the convention. Each proposed resolution is read, spoken for by the authoring member, considered, and then ultimately withdrawn or recommended for passage or disapproval by the Convention.

At times, resolutions may also be presented and adopted during an affiliate board meeting when timely action is needed between conventions. These resolutions hold the same official weight and reflect the affiliate’s ongoing commitment to addressing current issues affecting blind Iowans.

Resolution 2021-01: Regarding Nonvisual Access to Absentee Ballots

WHEREAS, since the passage of the Help America Vote Act of 2002 (PL 107-252), as well as the Americans With Disabilities Act (1990), blind voters in Iowa and across the nation have been able to cast a private and independent vote because of technology at polling places that enables them to mark their ballot without having to solicit the assistance of someone who can see; and

WHEREAS, blind voters in Iowa who choose to vote using an absentee ballot are effectively denied the right to a secret ballot because the absentee ballot, which is offered as a printed form, cannot be marked without sighted assistance; and

WHEREAS, during the 2014 midterm election, blind voters in the state of Maryland, for the first time in history, were able to cast a truly secret absentee ballot through the use of a fully-accessible online ballot marking tool; and

WHEREAS, to use this online ballot marking tool, blind voters in Maryland logged on to a secure website using the access technology of their choice, marked the ballot using an accessible web form, downloaded the appropriately marked ballot to their computers, printed the ballot, and mailed it in; and

Whereas, several states including West Virginia, California, Oregon, Arizona, and Washington have started using various voting tools to improve access to ballots by blind persons; and

Whereas, In 2021 the states of Utah and Colorado have passed legislation making accessible voting tools available to their blind citizens, the one in Colorado being, perhaps the most inclusive and strongest law so far enacted; and

Whereas, The U.S. Congress is currently considering a new Voter Rights Bill (HR1) which does improve many areas of concern for voters, but does not specifically address the issues related to dealing with persons with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, these significant achievements, which would not have occurred without strong advocacy from the National Federation of the Blind, clearly prove that the technology exists to make the absentee ballot fully accessible to blind voters: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa in Convention assembled this second day of October, 2021, virtually, that this organization declare that the time has come for the absentee ballot to be accessible to the blind of Iowa and for the state of Iowa to have an accessible online ballot marking tool of its own; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon the Governor, the Iowa State Legislature, the Secretary of State, and the Iowa Department for the Blind to continue working with the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa and other interested parties to design and implement an accessible online ballot marking tool in the state of Iowa that offers voters who are blind full and secure access to the absentee ballot and serves as a model of nonvisual access to the nation; and

BE it FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be sent to the governor, all members of the Iowa Legislature, the Secretary of State, and others to work with us for the implementation of such voting tools in time to be used for the primary and general midterm elections in 2022.

Resolution 2021-02: COMMENDING THE IOWA LIBRARY FOR THE BLIND AND PRINT DISABLED ON THE RECEIPT OF LIBRARY OF THE YEAR AWARD

WHEREAS, The Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled in Des Moines, Iowa, received the 2020-2021 Regional Library of the Year Award
for outstanding service to readers with visual, physical or print disabilities; and

WHEREAS, challenges resulting from the pandemic of the past year were met with tenacity and creativity; and

WHEREAS, library staff and volunteers found new ways to expand access to patrons and engage their readers and their communities, circulating 411,899 items during the year to 5,700 registered patrons, never missing a day of service; and

WHEREAS, the library connected with its patrons virtually through podcasts, blogs, and a YouTube channel; and

WHEREAS, the Library participated in a pilot test of NLS’s eReader Braille Display; and

WHEREAS, The library’s Instructional Materials Center provided accessible educational materials to more than 100 students; and

WHEREAS, all readers were able to be connected in virtual and phone discussion groups: Now,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa, in Convention assembled this second day of October, 2021, virtually, that this organization commend The Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled for its exemplary service to its patrons during the pandemic and its continued current quality of excellent exemplary service; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that a copy of this resolution be provided to Governor Kim Reynolds, Iowa Congressional members, retired National Library Service director Karen Keninger, the current director of the National Library Service for the Blind and Print disabled, Iowa Department for the Blind Director Emily Wharton, library director Sarah Willeford, and the Iowa Commission for the Blind Board to spread our appreciation across the state and the nation.

Resolution 2021-03: Regarding NLS E-READER Pilot Project

Whereas, The Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled has long been a pioneer in opening new opportunities for the National Library Service; and

Whereas, The Iowa Library has set the standard for library services to the blind by being one of the first libraries to move from records to tapes and then cassettes in the sixties and seventies; and

Whereas, Again in 2009 the Iowa Library was one of the first libraries for the blind to sign on as part of the pilot project for the Digital talking book; and

Whereas, When NLS developed a pilot project for the NLS E-READER, Iowa was once again in the pilot program; and

Whereas, In 2020 the Iowa Library for the Blind and Print Disabled received approximately 240 NLS Humanware E-READERS to distribute to blind Iowans; and

Whereas, in spite of working with many restrictions related to the pandemic they distributed approximately 150 of the readers and the project was up and running; and

Whereas, Many blind Iowans have been able to read more Braille materials than ever before because of the ease of using the NLS Humanware E-READERS and their ability to download books directly from BARD: Now, Therefore,

Be It Resolved by the National Federation Of The Blind Of Iowa, in convention assembled, this second day of October, 2021, virtually, That the National federation Of The Blind Of Iowa commends the Iowa Library For The Blind and Print Disabled for taking on the pilot project, opening new and exciting possibilities to blind Iowans to have quality electronic Braille available to them without purchasing expensive electronic Braille devices of their own; and

Be It Further Resolved that the National Federation Of The Blind of Iowa urges the library to establish programs to improve initial introduction to the E-READER through more distribution of basic training materials in formats of the patron’s choice and by creating a group of volunteers to help teach the new Braille readers how to use the NLS Humanware E-READERS. Such volunteers should be composed mostly of blind library patrons who use the E-READER themselves; and

Be It Further Resolved that this resolution shall be sent to the Governor of the State of Iowa, Iowa Commission For The Blind Board, IDB Director, Director of the Iowa Library for the Blind and print Disabled and other groups and individuals who may wish to be part of such volunteer opportunities.

Resolution 2021-04: Regarding the Accessibility of State-Administered Benefits Programs

WHEREAS, The Iowa Department of Human Services referred to as DHS, is the state agency administering benefits programs including critical programs like Medicaid, Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP), workforce development, and low-income housing vouchers; and

WHEREAS, eligibility requirements are often streamlined so that ineligibility for one program results in ineligibility for multiple programs; and

WHEREAS, blind people are often unable to apply independently for or renew their eligibility for many state-administered benefit programs because the web-based eligibility forms do not conform with Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 or 2.1 AA and are therefore inaccessible using screen-access software; and

WHEREAS, blind people have been denied program communications in Braille or other alternative formats or have otherwise failed to receive communication that is as effective as communication provided to nondisabled beneficiaries; and

WHEREAS, blind people have been deemed ineligible for state-administered benefits solely because they were unable to complete required eligibility forms, resulting in immediate, unnecessary, and discriminatory hardship; and

WHEREAS, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act prohibits state-administered benefits programs from discrimination against and disparate treatment of people with disabilities and thus mandates the provision of equally effective communication and equal access to services for such persons: Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Iowa in Convention assembled this second day of October, 2021, virtually, that this organization demand that DHS honor requests for alternative format communications and equal access to programmatic information, benefits, and services in a timely manner; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that DHS benefits programs promptly implement accessibility policies that require web-based information and forms to conform to web content accessibility guidelines (WCAG 2.1 AA) and promptly audit and remediate application and renewal of eligibility processes and forms so that they are fully and equally accessible to blind people.