Resolution 2019-01: Commending the DeWineAdministration
WHEREAS, the blind of Ohio have suffered from chronic unemployment or under-employment for decades; and
WHEREAS, state officials have given mere lip service to the idea that state government should be a leading employer of the blind and others with disabilities; and
WHEREAS, Governor Mike DeWine had the conviction and courage to issue Executive Order 2019-03D, Establishing Ohio as a Disability-Inclusion State and Model Employer Of Individuals with Disabilities: Now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio in Convention assembled this third day of November, 2019, in the City of Columbus, Ohio, that this organization commend Governor DeWine for issuing this executive order; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization offer itself to Governor DeWine as a nationally recognized expert in the employment needs of the blind and that we urge his office and all other state Officials to consult with the organized blind as the state moves forward with the implementation of this executive order; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this consultation occur annually at a minimum.
Resolution 2019-02: Regarding the Proliferation of Dockless Electric Scooters and E-Bikes
WHEREAS, dockless electric scooters and e-bikes are new forms of transportation that have become increasingly popular in the United States; and
WHEREAS, the appeal of these vehicles is that they may be retrieved from and left anywhere because they do not need to be parked at a docking station or rack; and
WHEREAS, as a result users are leaving these vehicles in locations that block curb cuts, obstruct sidewalks, block bus stops and stoops, and generally disrupt the flow of pedestrian traffic; and
WHEREAS, users further endanger pedestrian traffic by riding these vehicles on sidewalks and other pedestrian rights-of-way; and
WHEREAS, these vehicles are virtually silent when in use, making it impossible for those using nonvisual means of travel to detect them; and
WHEREAS, the public is encouraged to contact the various scooter and e-bike companies directly to report vehicle misuse, request that a vehicle be moved, or report an injury or other concern by calling the company, visiting the website, or making a report using the app; and
WHEREAS, the blind cannot identify the scooter and E-bike companies’ names, phone numbers, or websites because the information on the scooter or e-bike is available only in print; and
WHEREAS, blind people are further denied the opportunity to make reports or issue complaints since scooter and e-bike websites and apps are generally not accessible using access technology; and
WHEREAS, few laws in the United States regulate the use of these vehicles, and laws that do exist are inconsistent from city to city: Now, therefore
BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio in Convention assembled this third day of November, 2019, in the City of Columbus, Ohio, that this organization urge the Ohio Department of Transportation, the Ohio General Assembly, city councils, and regional and local governments to work with the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio to enact laws regulating scooter and e-bike use to control parking, prohibit riding on sidewalks, and generally avoid disrupting the flow of pedestrian traffic; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon agencies with the power to create regulations governing the use of dockless electric scooters and e-bikes to consult with the National Federation of the Blind of Ohio about the safety and identification of dockless electric scooters and e-bikes; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization demand that all dockless electric scooter and e-bike companies place their company name, scooter or E-Bike identification number, and contact information on each vehicle in a format accessible and easily detectible by the blind and that these companies develop accessible websites and mobile applications so that blind pedestrians can easily make reports of misuse or injury; and
BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that this organization call upon the Ohio Congressional delegation to introduce federal legislation establishing a minimum sound standard for dockless electric scooters and e-bikes when moving.