All declared candidates with Candidate Pages for positions to be elected during the 2024 ACB Conference and Convention were invited by the Board of Publications to submit a 30 second campaign spot.

The following candidates submitted spots (in alphabetic order);

• Donna Brown (seeking Board of Directors)
• Belinda Collins (seeking Board of Publications)
• Anthony Corona (seeking Board of Publications)
• Zelda Gebhard (seeking Board of Publications)
• Peter Heide (seeking Board of Directors)
• Chris Hunsinger (seeking Board of Directors)
• Kenneth Semien Sr. (seeking Board of Directors)

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Proposal 2024-04 : Removing the phrase "or their designee, (which designee shall have signed the confidentiality agreement applicable to all board members)," from Constitution articles IV(H) and VI(C)

Current language:

Article IV, Officers: Section H. The president may call a special meeting of the Board of Directors at any time and shall call a special meeting of the Board upon the request of at least five (5) members of the Board. Notice of the special meeting shall be sent to each board member or their designee, (which designee shall have signed the confidentiality agreement applicable to all board members), via written electronic communication at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting date. The time, the location, and the specific purpose of the meeting shall be included in the notice.

Article VI, Powers and Duties of the Conference and Convention, the Officers, the Board of Directors and Committees: Section C. ... The Executive Committee shall meet at the call of the president, or upon the written request of three (3) of its members. Such request shall be sent to each board member or their designee, (which designee shall have signed the confidentiality agreement applicable to all board members), via any means of written electronic communication at least five (5) calendar days prior to the proposed meeting date.

Proposed language:

Article IV, Officers: Section H. The president may call a special meeting of the Board of Directors at any time and shall call a special meeting of the Board upon the request of at least five (5) members of the Board. Notice of the special meeting shall be sent to each board member via written electronic communication at least seven (7) days prior to the meeting date. The time, the location, and the specific purpose of the meeting shall be included in the notice.

Article VI, Powers and Duties of the Conference and Convention, the Officers, the Board of Directors and Committees: Section C. ... The Executive Committee shall meet at the call of the president, or upon the written request of three (3) of its members. Such request shall be sent to each board member via any means of written electronic communication at least five (5) calendar days prior to the proposed meeting date.

Explanation

After careful deliberation and consultation, and being fully mindful of the considerations which motivated the passage of the cited language on the floor of the 2022 convention, the committee feels that matters coming within the purview of the above-reference provisions are best addressed on a "case by case" basis in accordance with ACB's "reasonable accommodation" policy.

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The original proposed amendment was amended June 28. The amended version is herein.

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Proposal 2024-02 - align Article XI with the language and intent of Bylaw 6D as passed last year, Conforming constitutional amendment required to align Article XI with the language and intent of Bylaw 6D as passed last year, requiring that constitutional and/or bylaw proposals be submitted sixty (60) days before the opening of convention.

Current language:

Article XI, Amendments: This constitution and bylaws may be amended at any regular conference and convention of ACB provided such proposed amendment has been presented in writing to the Constitution and Bylaws Committee before the end of the first day following the day of the roll call meeting of the conference and convention.

Proposed language:

This constitution and bylaws may be amended at any regular conference and convention of ACB provided such proposed amendment has been presented to the committee in accordance with the requirements set forth in the bylaws.

For context:

Bylaw 6, Committees: Section D. Constitution and Bylaws Committee: The president, within sixty (60) days after the close of each national conference and convention, shall appoint a chairperson and not less than four (4) additional members to a Constitution and Bylaws Committee. This committee shall have the responsibility of considering and preparing amendments to the constitution and bylaws for presentation to the conference and convention. Any amendments to be considered shall be submitted to the committee not less than sixty (60) days prior to the opening date of each conference and convention. The Constitution and Bylaws Committee shall report all proposed constitution and/or bylaw amendments to the conference and convention with or without committee recommendation.

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Proposal 2024-01 (editorial): To change all instances of "ACB Radio" to "ACB Media" to reflect its current designation. These two references occur in Article V, paragraph C, and bylaw 6L as follows:

Current language:

Article V, Publications Board: Section C. It shall be the duty of the Board of Publications to approve or disapprove employment by the executive director of the editor of “The ACB Braille Forum” and to establish editorial standards and policies applicable to all American Council of the Blind communication formats including, but not limited to, periodicals, the ACB conference and convention programs and ACB brochures, the ACB web site, and ACB Radio.

Bylaw 6, Committees: Section L. Public Relations Committee: In addition, the committee shall have three (3) ex-officio members who shall not have the right to vote. These shall be the executive director of the American Council of the Blind or his/her designee; the webmaster of the American Council of the Blind; and the director of ACB Radio.

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Resolution 2024 15 - QR & Bar Code Accessibility

Submitted by Kim Charlson

Whereas, QR codes and barcodes are gaining traction as one of the most common ways to provide consumer information and engagement beyond what has previously been possible; and

Whereas, because of their increasing use across packaging and non-packaging touchpoints, many different non-standard QR and barcode options are being introduced by various companies, public entities and individuals; and

Whereas, individuals who are blind or have low vision are unable to use, or are having difficulty using and identifying products on store shelves independently, or reading specific product information; and

Whereas, new 2D QR and barcode technologies presently under consideration by GS1, an international organization representing major manufacturing companies, has responded to increasing industry pressure to update current standards to provide more product and consumer engagement information (including QR and barcode data) and to leverage key product identifiers such as GT9 and product serial numbers; and

Whereas, the 1D standard includes specific language regarding disability access; and

Whereas, the proposed GS1 2D barcode/QR code guideline/standard scheduled for adoption and rollout in 2027 does not currently include disability access language; and

Whereas, the absence of such disability access language could result in QR and barcodes being inaccessible and unusable by people who are blind or have low vision;

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled virtually that the American Council of the Blind call upon GS1, and any other international standard-setting bodies, to incorporate accessibility compliance requirements into any future QR and barcode standards; and

Be it further resolved that ACB seek the support and collaboration of the World Blind Union to move this issue forward in the international space.

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Resolution 2024 14 - Making ADA Paratransit More Equitable

Submitted by the California Council of the Blind and Others

Whereas, Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) requires state and local governments which operate fixed-route public transit services (hereafter “transit agencies”) to provide “complimentary paratransit” for individuals who are unable, because of a disability, to independently use fixed-route transit services; and

Whereas, the U.S. Department of Transportation (DOT) requires that paratransit services meet specific minimum Regulatory criteria (49 C.F.R. Part 37), including: service area, days and hours of service, reservations requirements, trip limits and priorities, and allowable fares; and

Whereas, as a result of the federal ADA regulations adopted pursuant to the limited core goal of ADA paratransit, these services are, more often than not, expensive, unreliable, and fail to enable people with disabilities to get where they need to go when they need to get there; and

Whereas, the ADA also expressly permits transit agencies to provide additional services or a greater level of service than is required by the ADA’s paratransit minimum mandate; and

Whereas, many people with disabilities, including people who are blind or have low vision, depend on paratransit services for access to education, employment, healthcare, shopping, worship, visits with family and friends, and other activities; and

Whereas, transit agencies unfortunately are currently permitted by regulations to require paratransit riders to book trips a day in advance, negotiate pick-up times by up to an hour before or after the time they need or wish to travel, wait for extended periods of time in order to receive trip confirmation, travel for extended periods of time (which can sometimes exceed several hours), and pay up to twice as much as the same trip would cost on the transit agency’s fixed-route transit network; and

Whereas, these unfortunate and unnecessary characteristics of paratransit often harm riders with disabilities by causing them to spend more time and money on transportation than other transit riders, arrive late to work and appointments, which has sometimes cost paratransit riders their jobs and/or access to healthcare appointments, educational and training opportunities, and otherwise seriously undermine the ADA’s promise to “assure equality of opportunity, full participation, independent living, and economic self-sufficiency ...” for individuals with disabilities; and

Whereas, when judged by today’s standards, many of the policies set forth in current paratransit regulations, are objectively unequal to the level of service that transit agencies provide for people without disabilities and are, therefore, inequitable; and

Whereas, a growing number of transit agencies are taking steps to make their ADA paratransit services more equitable by aligning paratransit fares with fixed-route transit fares, by implementing same day paratransit for at least some trips, and by updating policies, practices, and service models based on the growing power of an array of transit-related technologies, including accessible mobile apps, real-time vehicle tracking, and rideshare services;

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the blind in convention assembled virtually, that this organization affirm its belief that the time has come to address the inequities that are embedded within the current ADA regulations set forth in 49 CFR Part 37 and to begin the process of making a paradigm shift such that the purpose of paratransit service will be to allow persons with disabilities to get where they need to go when they need to get there; and

Be it further resolved that this organization direct ACB’s leadership to call upon and join with other organizations of and for people with disabilities to develop proposed national standards for paratransit service to provide for just, equitable timely and efficient service for riders with disabilities and to collectively advocate for their adoption by the U.S. DOT; and

Be it further resolved that, if the ACB Board of Directors concludes that circumstances justify ACB advocating primarily or solely on its own, the Board shall consider other advocacy options to carry out this resolution; and

Be it further resolved that the Executive Director and/or President provide a report at the next annual ACB Conference and Convention regarding progress on this resolution.

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Resolution 2024-13 - Accessibility of NextGen TV

Submitted by Carl Richardson and Timothy Wynn on behalf of the ACB Audio description Program

Whereas, the American Council of the Blind is a leader in advocating for accessible television and entertainment for all blind, low vision, and deaf-blind viewers; and

Whereas, NextGen TV, also known as ATSC 3.0, is an emerging standard for over-the-air broadcast television, has launched in over 70 markets, and is currently available to 75% of Nielsen households in the U.S.; and

Whereas, this organization championed the passage of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA) that codified into law the restoration of audio description of television programming, aural representation of emergency information, and accessibility of video programming playback and recording devices; and

Whereas, Next Gen TV has the potential to benefit viewers who are blind, low vision, deaf-blind, deaf, and hard of hearing as it supports various accessibility advances including worldwide closed caption technology, audio services including audio description service and dialog enhancement, and advanced emergency alerting capabilities; and

Whereas, television broadcast stations have traditionally limited the secondary audio stream to just one service, which can be a disadvantage to those with diverse linguistic and accessibility needs; and

Whereas, unless extended for a third time, the current digital television standard, also known as ATSC 1.0, will sunset on July 17, 2027;

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled virtually, that his organization, in conjunction with other disability-related organizations, will advocate directly with the Advanced Television Standards Committee (ATSC), the Federal Communications Commission (FCC), and industry stakeholders to ensure: pass through of all provided secondary audio streams regardless of technology; implementation of enhanced accessibility features according to universal design principles; and extending the overall accessibility of televisions, set-top box, and other modern viewing platforms.

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Resolution 2024 12 - Audio Description for Streaming Services

Submitted by Clark Rachfal on behalf of the ACB Audio Description Project

Whereas, the American Council of the Blind is the pre-eminent advocacy organization for the creation, distribution, and enjoyment of high-quality audio-described video content; and

Whereas, audio description is audio-narrated descriptions of video programming’s key visual elements inserted into natural pauses in the program; and

Whereas, this organization championed the passage of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA) that codified into law the requirements for the creation and distribution of audio-described video programming by broadcast television providers and multi-channel video program distributors (MVPDs), such as cable and satellite video providers; and

Whereas, this organization’s advocacy and the implementing regulations of the CVAA have resulted in an increase in audio-described video programming on broadcast and cable television; and

Whereas, consumers’ video viewing habits have evolved since 2010, and a continuously growing number of consumers are subscribing to streaming video providers; in 2024, YouTube TV became the fourth largest linear subscription video service in the United States; and

Whereas, this organization continues to receive complaints from consumers of recalcitrant streaming video providers that they are not meeting the accessibility requirements of the CVAA and are not passing through audio-described content made available on broadcast television or by other MVPDs; and

Whereas, on Dec. 19, 2014, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) released a Notice of Proposed Rule Making (NPRM) seeking comment on a proposal to update its rules to better reflect the fact that video services are being provided increasingly over the Internet; however, this rule making was not finalized;

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled virtually, that this organization advocate directly with streaming video providers, broadcast and non-broadcast networks, to pass through existing audio-described content as is already done with broadcast and cable television so that people who are blind or have low vision are not left behind through this technological transition; and

Be it further resolved that this organization work with the FCC to use its existing authority to refresh the record and ensure that the definition of multi-channel video programming distributor is updated and that all video programmers, regardless of the underlying technology used, are subject to the accessibility requirements of the CVAA, including the pass-through of audio-described content; and,

Be it further resolved that this organization work toward the swift passage of the Communications, Video, and Technology Accessibility Act to expand the amount of audio-described content available for consumers, regardless of how they choose to consume it.

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Resolution 2024-11 -Promoting Military Dining Facilities

Submitted by Ardis Bazyn on behalf of Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America (RSVA)

Whereas, the primary purpose of the Randolph-Sheppard Act is to provide employment opportunities and economic benefits for vendors throughout the United States who are blind or have low vision; and

Whereas, the Randolph-Sheppard Vendors of America (RSVA), an affiliate of the American Council of the Blind, works for the expansion of the Randolph-Sheppard program and for the protection of the interests of blind and low-vision persons engaged in the operation of vending facilities under that program; and

Whereas, as one means of accomplishing these goals, RSVA tracks major decisions across the country affecting the Randolph-Sheppard Program; and

Whereas, state agencies overseeing the Randolph-Sheppard Program provide opportunities for blind and low vision vendors in federal, state, county, and military facilities; and

Whereas, the Department of Defense (DOD) solicits multi-state military dining contract bids; and

Whereas, under these solicitations, DOD requires one entity to be the lead for the entire contract; and

Whereas, under the Randolph-Sheppard Act priority, states have the opportunity to bid against private companies on behalf of their blind and low vision vendors; and

Whereas, state Randolph-Sheppard program administrators are unwilling or unable to bid on multi-state contracts when one state would be the lead entity and others would be subordinate;

Now, therefore, be it resolved by the American Council of the Blind in convention assembled virtually that ACB and RSVA will jointly urge the Department of Defense to work collaboratively with the Department of Education to eliminate any requirement for a lead contractor in multi-state military dining facility contracts in order to expand employment opportunities for blind and low vision individuals in the Randolph-Sheppard Program; and

Be it further resolved that this organization, along with RSVA, will take other actions as necessary to remove this barrier to the employment of blind and low-vision vendors.

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