Dear Senator Stavisky:
On behalf of the 184 Central Association for the Blind and Visually Impaired (CABVI) employees, 79 of whom are blind or visually impaired, we urge you to support New York State Licensure of Vision Rehabilitation Professionals and Orientation and Mobility Specialists (S.1262B/A.5581B). (more…)
Memorandum in Support of New York State Licensure of Vision Rehabilitation Professionals and Orientation and Mobility Specialists (S.1262B/A.5581B)
Licensure is a consumer protection practice. If you ask the general public, they view licensure as a protection against unqualified service providers. Licensure specifies scope of practice, educational requirements, practicum or internship requirements, and title protection. You cannot practice or use the title of licensed professional when a profession is licensed unless you have met all the qualifying criteria.
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May 24, 2010
Assemblywoman Deborah GlickLOB 717
Albany, NY 12248
Dear Assemblywoman Glick;
I have been legally blind since birth but until recently, my vision was sufficient for me to travel independently. I have lived a very productive life, raised a family, earned an MBA, worked in some very interesting jobs and even enjoyed several sports and hobbies.
When faced with finding a new job, I was nearly run down by vehicles I never saw coming. When that happened a few times, I soon became afraid to leave my home. Knowing that I had employable skills but unable to even look for work, I became discouraged and depressed.
I never thought I would need a guide dog or cane, but fortunately, Orientation & Mobility Services were available to me and I am back on track. I’m working, traveling independently and using the skills the O & M training provided me.
Assemblyman Jonathan Bing
744 Legislative Office Building
Albany, NY 12248
Dear Assemblyman Bing:
On behalf of the Association for the Visually Impaired (AVI), I would like you to know that this organization supports NY State licensure for Vision Rehabilitation professionals and I am hoping that you will also vote in favor of bill #05581B.
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ABVI-Goodwill Memorandum in Support of New York State Licensure of Vision Rehabilitation Professionals (S.1262B/A.5581B)
On behalf of the 3000 people we serve who are blind or visually impaired, our Board of Directors and 400 employees, I urge the legislature to support licensure of Vision Rehabilitation Professionals. ABVI-Goodwill is a Rochester,
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.
Grace Ambrose-Zaken I am aware that our bill battle seems small compared to the size of the oil spill, the price of gasoline, and the overall state of global affairs, but I can’t help it - we are closer than ever and the impact of this bill is major. There is opposition and they are calling. Please go to www.NYVRA.org and help move this bill!
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…)