The New York Vision Rehabilitation Association’s Blog

We need  letters of support for New York

from each organization, agency, school and ACB chapter addressed to Senator Toby Ann Stavisky (Chair of Senate H.E. Committee-S.1262B), Assemblywoman Deborah Glick (A.5581B), Assemblyman Jonathan Bing (Assembly Sponsor - A.5581B) and Senator Craig Johnson (Senate Sponsor - S.1262B) with a copy to Steve Malito.The Jewish Guild is actively lobbying against licensure and we need to show they are in the minority. NFB is also actively lobbying against licensure. They are both calling for certification without being specific about why certification and what it means. (more…)

Assembly Sponsor VRT/O&M Licensure Jonathan L. Bing

I need us all to take a minute to thank Jonathan L. Bing (D, Manhattan) Assembly Sponsor for the bill to license VRTs and O&M specialists. Assembly Member Bing is our hero, he worked tirelessly this week to keep the bill from being held. His reputation is the best calling card for others in the State Assembly. When they hear Bing is the bill sponsor -they sign on in support.

Please contact Assembly Member Bing’s office and tell him thank you and to keep up the good fight.

District Office                    Albany Office

360 E. 57th Street           LOB 744

Mezzanine Level             Albany, NY 12248

New York, NY 10022    518-455-4794

212-605-0937

On Monday, a major battle was waged in Albany and because of the efforts of all who called, wrote and called again – our bill was not one of the casualties of the seemingly endless war against any and all licensure bills. The bill to license vision rehabilitation therapists and orientation and mobility specialists (A5581-B) will live to see another day on an Assembly Higher Education Committee agenda this session.

This was a huge win today and it is all due to the actions of support the bill received. Here is how it went down. A5581-B was on the Assembly Higher Education Committee agenda today because our Sponsor, Assembly Member Jonathan Bing ”99ed” the bill. To ”99″ a bill means that at some point during this session the Committee Chair has to put that bill on an agenda unless the sponsor removes the “99.”

Assembly Member Glick, Chair of the Higher Education Committee, did not want A5581-B to be on her agenda this session just as she did not want the bill to be on the agenda last session. She has yet to give a reason except that she is said to have the same policy for all of the licensure bills before her committee.

Glick’s strategy today was to put the bill on the agenda and have the committee agree to put a “hold” on the bill. By placing the bill on hold it satisfies Bing’s ”99″ and, if the committee agreed, it would have effectively stopped all progress on the bill this session in the Assembly.

Yesterday’s Assembly Higher Ed Committee saw more than 5 licensure bills held. Those bills will likely have to wait until next year to be considered again. Our huge show of support this weekend - thanks to your efforts- many committee members were prepared to vote against the hold. The Chair decided to take the bill off the agenda for now. Had the Chair’s motion to hold been defeated, there could have then been a motion to report the bill out of committee. 

So, rather than risk having the committee go against her, the Chair pulled A5581-B off the agenda and chose to wait for another day when perhaps the winds will have weakened. But, I’m here to say that our gale force winds will only get stronger. We now know that we are being heard and we are so close – the next round will be met with hurricane force winds! Winds of Change!

Thanks everyone for their support! Look for updates on www.nyvra.org  and send comments on the blog if there is any question or issue you would like addressed.

Sharon Giovinazzo

Only seems small to those of us that have not benefited from the personalized individual specialized service of vision rehab and orientation and mobilty training! (more…)

Please vote to put A05581 on the Higher Education committee Agenda and move this bill to license vision rehabilitation and orientation and mobility(O&M) specialists forward this session.I am an O&M specialist, and one of the people I am now working with has been unable to move her wrist without pain for almost a year because she was taught to use the cane incorrectly by a well-meaning (more…)

Dear Assembly Member: 

On Monday you will be participating in a debate, the outcome of which will affect the safety of over 1 million New Yorkers with visual impairments. I know you support this bill and I want to thank you for that support and urge you to vote to put A05581 on Higher Education committee Agenda and move this bill to license vision rehabilitation and orientation and mobility specialists forward this session.  

Individuals with visual impairments are one of the most vulnerable groups in

What is worse than no cane and no instruction in how to use it? Having the wrong cane and misusing it and having misinformation about how to orient to the environment. When a cane is used incorrectly it provides no protection to its user. When someone doesn’t’ know how to reorient non-visually, they get lost and scared.  

If you are too scared to travel and you think you have “received O&M services” you think you did something wrong or are unable to learn how to regain independence – so, you sit home and become dependent on others and stop living a full life. 

Don’t let this continue to happen – Vote to put 05581 on the agenda.  

If you have time, please watch the short video from

The time is NOW the Debate is On! Be a part of the DEBATE to put the Bill to license VRTs and O&Ms on the Assembly Higher Education Committee Agenda.

The Debate is whether Assembly Higher Ed. Chair Deborah Glick will put the bill to License VRTs and O&Ms on the next agenda. There are 25 members on the Higher Ed Committee. After last Lobby Day, we have 17 of them on our bill!

The Meeting is off the floor Monday. NYVRA Government Relations Expert, Steve Malito and his team are preparing a support packet with all memos for delivery first thing Monday morning.

Glick looks like she plans to try to Hold the bill. It won’t be easy to get members to buck her, but we are working on it.IT IS TIME for everyone to call all 17 sponsors that are on the bill and H.Ed. Committee and tell them to support the bill A05581B to License VRT and O&M professionals – the safety of over 1 million New Yorkers is at Stake.And, anyone and everyone should be contacting Glick. Attached is contact info for our 17 Bill Supporters..

This is the big push- please contact the Chair of the Higher Education Committee and ask her to put our VRT and O&M Licensure bill on the Higher Ed Agenda this year. - you can go to her website and send word or call her office.

http://assembly.state.ny.us/mem/?ad=066&sh=contact

Assembly Member Glick –I urge you to put the Bill A05581A to license vision rehabilitation therapists and orientation and mobility specialists on the Higher Education Committee Agenda this session.

These workers go into the houses of newly blinded older adults – this is a matter of safety and security for those New Yorkers who have limited ability to protect themselves.

Please move this bill forward this year.

Sincerely,

(your name)

S1262B - JOHNSON CProvides for the licensing of licensed orientation and mobility specialists and vision rehabilitation therapists Currently on Senate Higher Education Committee Agenda.