From judotina48kg at gmail.com Sun Mar 1 12:21:23 2015 From: judotina48kg at gmail.com (Tina Thomas) Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2015 12:21:23 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: Fw: Proposed Act Regarding Service Dogs from the state of Maine. Message-ID: <01f401d0545d$4ab964a0$e02c2de0$@gmail.com> 127th MAINE LEGISLATURE FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2015 Legislative Document No. 547 H.P. 371 House of Representatives, February 26, 2015 An Act Regarding Service Dogs Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and ordered printed. 49 ROBERT B. HUNT Clerk Presented by Representative CAMPBELL of Orrington. (BY REQUEST) Cosponsored by Senator SAVIELLO of Franklin and Representatives: DOORE of Augusta, LAJOIE of Lewiston, MAKER of Calais, NADEAU of Winslow, STANLEY of Medway, TUELL of East Machias. Printed on recycled paper table with 2 columns and 33 rows 1 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 2 Sec. 1. 7 MRSA ?3922, sub-?4, as amended by PL 2007, c. 664, ?11, is further 3 amended to read: 4 4. Service dogs. If a service dog has not been previously registered or licensed by the municipal clerk to whom the application is being made, the clerk may not register the 6 dog nor issue to its owner or keeper a license and tag that identifies the dog as a service 7 dog unless the applicant presents written evidence to the municipal clerk that the dog 8 meets the definition of "service dog." For the purpose of this subsection "written 9 evidence" means a service dog certification form approved by the department in consultation with the Maine Human Rights Commission. The service dog certification 11 form must include a letter signed by a physician, psychologist, physician assistant or 12 nurse practitioner indicating that the owner or keeper or a member of the owner's or 13 keeper's household requires the service dog and a certification or other document 14 indicating that the service dog has completed training from an established service animal training organization or has been evaluated by a certified animal trainer and found to have 16 a sound temperament suitable for a service dog. 17 Sec. 2. 7 MRSA ?3923-B, sub-?1-A is enacted to read: 18 1-A. Service dog registration tag. In accordance with subsection 1, the department 19 shall ensure that, with regard to the registration and licensing of a service dog, the service dog's registration tag clearly indicates that the dog is a service animal pursuant to Title 5, 21 section 4553, subsection 9-E. The department shall devise a method of ensuring that a 22 service dog's registration tag is clearly visible to the public. 23 SUMMARY 24 This bill requires that an individual registering a service dog present to the municipal clerk a letter signed by a physician, psychologist, physician assistant or nurse practitioner 26 indicating that the individual or a member of the individual's household requires the 27 service dog and a certification or other document indicating that the service dog has 28 completed training from an established service animal training organization or has been 29 evaluated by a certified animal trainer and found to have a sound temperament suitable for a service dog. It also requires the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and 31 Forestry to ensure that the registration tag of a service dog clearly indicates that the dog is 32 a service animal and to devise a method of ensuring that a service dog's registration tag is 33 visible to the public. table end Page 1 -127LR0304(01)-1 _______________________________________________ nagdu mailing list nagdu at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/judotina48kg%40gmail.com From peacefulwoman89 at cox.net Sun Mar 1 12:39:15 2015 From: peacefulwoman89 at cox.net (Lisa Irving) Date: Sun, 1 Mar 2015 12:39:15 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: Fw: Proposed Act Regarding Service Dogs from the state of Maine. In-Reply-To: References: Message-ID: Hello All, I can see pros and cons for this legislative action. On one hand, something must be done to weed out the wanna-be service dogs.On the other hand I'm troubled by a number of things. First, who's regulating the qualifications of mental health and medical staff in terms of their training and knowledge that enables them pronounce the need or non-need of a service dog? Who's training this population to clearly understand the difference between the make me feel good animals and service dogs? Furthermore, who's educating and training the regulatory entities? Additionally, how is it that a state law trumps federal legislation; no identification is required. I also would like to know how and who will determin whether or not an independent trainer is qualified to determine if the service dog is qualified. My final thought is who's paying for all of this? Persons often living in poverty? The State of Maine? Who? Best, Lisa Irving -----Original Message----- From: cagdu-bounces at nfbcal.org [mailto:cagdu-bounces at nfbcal.org] On Behalf of Tina Thomas Sent: Sunday, March 01, 2015 12:21 PM To: cagdu at nfbcal.org Subject: [Cagdu] FW: Fw: Proposed Act Regarding Service Dogs from the state of Maine. 127th MAINE LEGISLATURE FIRST REGULAR SESSION-2015 Legislative Document No. 547 H.P. 371 House of Representatives, February 26, 2015 An Act Regarding Service Dogs Reference to the Committee on Agriculture, Conservation and Forestry suggested and ordered printed. 49 ROBERT B. HUNT Clerk Presented by Representative CAMPBELL of Orrington. (BY REQUEST) Cosponsored by Senator SAVIELLO of Franklin and Representatives: DOORE of Augusta, LAJOIE of Lewiston, MAKER of Calais, NADEAU of Winslow, STANLEY of Medway, TUELL of East Machias. Printed on recycled paper table with 2 columns and 33 rows 1 Be it enacted by the People of the State of Maine as follows: 2 Sec. 1. 7 MRSA ?3922, sub-?4, as amended by PL 2007, c. 664, ?11, is further 3 amended to read: 4 4. Service dogs. If a service dog has not been previously registered or licensed by the municipal clerk to whom the application is being made, the clerk may not register the 6 dog nor issue to its owner or keeper a license and tag that identifies the dog as a service 7 dog unless the applicant presents written evidence to the municipal clerk that the dog 8 meets the definition of "service dog." For the purpose of this subsection "written 9 evidence" means a service dog certification form approved by the department in consultation with the Maine Human Rights Commission. The service dog certification 11 form must include a letter signed by a physician, psychologist, physician assistant or 12 nurse practitioner indicating that the owner or keeper or a member of the owner's or 13 keeper's household requires the service dog and a certification or other document 14 indicating that the service dog has completed training from an established service animal training organization or has been evaluated by a certified animal trainer and found to have 16 a sound temperament suitable for a service dog. 17 Sec. 2. 7 MRSA ?3923-B, sub-?1-A is enacted to read: 18 1-A. Service dog registration tag. In accordance with subsection 1, the department 19 shall ensure that, with regard to the registration and licensing of a service dog, the service dog's registration tag clearly indicates that the dog is a service animal pursuant to Title 5, 21 section 4553, subsection 9-E. The department shall devise a method of ensuring that a 22 service dog's registration tag is clearly visible to the public. 23 SUMMARY 24 This bill requires that an individual registering a service dog present to the municipal clerk a letter signed by a physician, psychologist, physician assistant or nurse practitioner 26 indicating that the individual or a member of the individual's household requires the 27 service dog and a certification or other document indicating that the service dog has 28 completed training from an established service animal training organization or has been 29 evaluated by a certified animal trainer and found to have a sound temperament suitable for a service dog. It also requires the Department of Agriculture, Conservation and 31 Forestry to ensure that the registration tag of a service dog clearly indicates that the dog is 32 a service animal and to devise a method of ensuring that a service dog's registration tag is 33 visible to the public. table end Page 1 -127LR0304(01)-1 _______________________________________________ nagdu mailing list nagdu at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/judotina48kg%40gmail.com _______________________________________________ Cagdu mailing list Cagdu at nfbcal.org https://www.nfbcal.org/mailman/listinfo.cgi/cagdu From judotina48kg at gmail.com Sat Mar 7 18:22:07 2015 From: judotina48kg at gmail.com (Tina Thomas) Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2015 18:22:07 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: Maryland bill would allow Uber to operate legally in the state Message-ID: <0b7201d05946$ae4dc720$0ae95560$@gmail.com> -----Original Message----- From: nagdu [mailto:nagdu-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Ginger Kutsch via nagdu Sent: Friday, March 06, 2015 6:35 AM To: NAGDU Mailing List, the National Association of Guide Dog Users Subject: Maryland bill would allow Uber to operate legally in the state Maryland bill would allow Uber to operate legally in the state By Luz Lazo March 5 Source: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/trafficandcommuting/maryland-bill-would- allow-uber-to-operate-legally-in-the-state/2015/03/05/618d81fa-c2b9-11e4-9ec 2-b418f57a4a99_story.html Maryland lawmakers are tackling legislation that would give Uber and other app-based car services permanent legal status in the state. The proposal would bring Maryland in line with the District and Virginia, where lawmakers recently approved regulatory frameworks for the popular services. The measure has bipartisan support, but with just a little more than a month left in this legislative session, it is unclear whether the measure will make it out of committee. Some lawmakers say that if an agreement can't be reached, the legislature could decide to give Uber temporary permission to operate in the state while new regulations are being worked out. "It's time that a law like this be enacted so that we don't stand in the way of innovation," said House Minority Leader Nicholaus R. Kipke (R-Anne Arundel), one of the bill's 25 sponsors. Under the proposed legislation, the companies would be required to register with the Maryland Public Service Commission, which regulates the pay-for-hire industry. The companies also would be required to institute zero-tolerance policies regarding the use of drugs and alcohol by drivers and to conduct background checks. This would include a comprehensive review of drivers' criminal history and driving records as well as a search of the public sex-offender registry. The company or the driver would be required to maintain at least $1 million in liability insurance. Further, drivers would be prohibited from discriminating against or charging higher fares to passengers with disabilities, including anyone with a service animal. Zuhairah Washington, Uber's general manager for the D.C. area, said that the bill recognizes ride-hailing as an innovative model and that its approach is "common sense." "We have heard a lot of positive things about Maryland being open for business and Maryland embracing business, and so we are hopeful that will bear out in a way that leads to this bill moving forward," she said. Supporters say the legislation will not only modernize Maryland law by creating a "Transportation Network Services" category but will also distinguish the ride-hailing industry from the traditional taxi industry and other private car services that are subject to decades-old statutes. The legislation also would provide clarity for jurisdictions, including Montgomery and Prince George's counties, that have their own regulations for taxis and have struggled with how to handle the new services. Some municipalities, including Annapolis, have ordered Uber to cease operations and threatened to fine their drivers. But cab and private sedan drivers and company owners in Maryland say the legislation fails to provide the level of regulation necessary to protect the public. They have argued against the app-based services, saying the companies have bullied their ways into the market by avoiding regulation. "They are allowed to operate without regulation in a regulated environment," said Dwight Kines, a spokesman for Veolia Transportation, which operates about 80 sedans and more than 600 taxis in the state. "The taxi industry, the sedan industry, the for-hire industry in Maryland all live under regulations that have been in place for years. These companies are allowed to do exactly the same thing we do without any of the regulations that are placed for us." Kines said the industry favors the approach of the Maryland Public Service Commission, which is in the process of approving new regulations for the ride-hailing industry. The commission announced last week that Uber has agreed to apply for a permit to operate its UberBlack and UberSUV services in the state and to be treated as a "common carrier," complying with an August ruling that the company is subject to state regulation. The agreement allows for the legal operation of the company's high-end car services in the state but does not address the operations of the cheaper UberX. Some supporters of ride-hailing services fear the commission could eventually rule that the new industry is not permissible under existing statutes and potentially issue cease-and-desist letters. Del. C. William Frick (D-Montgomery), another sponsor of the bill, said the priority for the legislature will be to permit Uber and similar services to operate in the state. "I don't think it is essential for us before the session ends to decide what the regulatory structure will be in perpetuity. I do think we will be able to agree that UberX should not be shut down simply because it doesn't fit with our existing regulatory structure," he said. "The priority will be preserving a very popular service. Maybe we do need to develop some different regulations, but that doesn't seem to be an imminent concern," Frick said. "I am an Uber user. It is a good service, people like it, it's filling a hole and the fact that it's not consistent with how things have been done before doesn't mean that it should be -prohibited." The Maryland Senate and House are reviewing similar bills. The Senate bill cleared its first hurdle Thursday when it was referred out of the Rules Committee and now stands a chance at a full hearing in a few weeks. The House bill is up for review by the Rules and Executive Nominations Committee next week. _______________________________________________ nagdu mailing list nagdu at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nagdu_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for nagdu: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nagdu_nfbnet.org/judotina48kg%40gmail.com From judotina48kg at gmail.com Sat Mar 7 20:14:37 2015 From: judotina48kg at gmail.com (Tina Thomas) Date: Sat, 7 Mar 2015 20:14:37 -0800 Subject: [Cagdu] FW: [Nfbc-info] CAGDU Meeting In-Reply-To: <00dd01d0594a$a25adc60$e7109520$@gmail.com> References: <00dd01d0594a$a25adc60$e7109520$@gmail.com> Message-ID: <0d9801d05956$6667c2c0$33374840$@gmail.com> -----Original Message----- From: Nfbc-info [mailto:nfbc-info-bounces at nfbnet.org] On Behalf Of Roger Oberholzer via Nfbc-info Sent: Saturday, March 07, 2015 6:50 PM To: nfbc-info at nfbnet.org Subject: [Nfbc-info] CAGDU Meeting Hi Everyone, Our next meeting is scheduled for Sunday, March 8 at 6:30PM. Please call (605) 475-4700 and enter the code 405682 followed by the pound sign to join the conference call. Thank you, Roger Oberholzer _______________________________________________ Nfbc-info mailing list Nfbc-info at nfbnet.org http://nfbnet.org/mailman/listinfo/nfbc-info_nfbnet.org To unsubscribe, change your list options or get your account info for Nfbc-info: http://nfbnet.org/mailman/options/nfbc-info_nfbnet.org/judotina48kg%40gmail. com From info at michaelhingson.com Mon Mar 23 13:58:07 2015 From: info at michaelhingson.com (Michael Hingson) Date: Mon, 23 Mar 2015 13:58:07 -0700 Subject: [Cagdu] NEW NFB CONNECT APP Message-ID: <006301d065ac$109f73d0$31de5b70$@michaelhingson.com> Dear Fellow Federationists: Great news! There's now another easy way to stay connected with the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) if you have an iPhone, iPad, or other iOS device. Our new mobile app, NFB Connect, is finally here! You can find it in the Apple App Store, or just use the following link on your iOS device to download it directly: https://itunes.apple.com/us/app/nfb-connect/id968434124. With NFB Connect, you can quickly and easily read the latest news about the NFB, find information about upcoming events, access the Braille Monitor and other publications, listen to presidential releases, find the NFB in your community, learn about ways to support the National Federation of the Blind, and more! Note: We are aware of an issue that prevents the "Chapters and Regional Info" feature from functioning properly on some devices and are working diligently to fix the problem. Download the free NFB Connect app today, and don't forget to use the Feedback button to let us know how you're using it and to suggest new features. Sincerely, Chris Danielsen Director of Public Relations National Federation of the Blind Best, Michael Hingson The Michael Hingson Group, INC. "Speaking with Vision" Michael Hingson, President (415) 827-4084 info at michaelhingson.com To order Michael Hingson's new book, Running With Roselle, and check on Michael Hingson's speaking availability for your next event please visit: www.michaelhingson.com To purchase your own portrait of Roselle painted by the world's foremost animal artist, Ron Burns, please visit http://www.ronburns.com/roselle -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://nfbcal.org/pipermail/cagdu/attachments/20150323/c50c3776/attachment.html From judotina48kg at gmail.com Fri Mar 27 12:05:50 2015 From: judotina48kg at gmail.com (Tina Thomas) Date: Fri, 27 Mar 2015 12:05:50 -0700 Subject: [Cagdu] Letter to out-of -state guide dog programs from California state guide dog board Message-ID: <05b401d068c1$0b888ea0$2299abe0$@gmail.com> Hello Everyone- Below is a letter that was sent to all out of state guide dog programs from the California state guide dog board regarding follow- up services. I hope all you read this and keep in mind that this policy and attitude of the board is a contradiction of everything our organization represents. To quote Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. " injustice anywhere, is a threat to justice everywhere" Thank You. Tina ion [Name] Chief Executive Officer [School Name] [School Address] Dear [Name]: The California State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind (Board) exists to ensure the protection of people who are blind or visually impaired while receiving instruction in the use of guide dogs. The Board regulates both the schools located in California as well as the instructors who train and pair guide dog teams. While your school is not physically located in California, the Board understands that many out of state schools place guide dogs with clients who reside in California at the time of placement, or who may relocate to California after placement. The Board understands and appreciates a school's need to maintain an ongoing relationship with graduates of their program. Recently, the Board has received several questions regarding follow-up training from guide dog users who received their dogs from schools outside of California. In order to provide follow-up training in California, Guide Dog Instructors, regardless of school affiliation, must be licensed by the Board. The purpose of this letter is not only to inform you of the licensing requirements and regulations regarding guide dog instruction in California, but also to create an open dialog. The Board wishes to ensure that there are no barriers to licensure for your instructors. Our goal is to create a gateway for your school to safely and legally provide follow-up instruction or in-home placements to guide dog users residing in California. Our records indicate that you currently have no instructors licensed by the Board. The Board would like to invite you to undergo the licensure process in order to provide services to your clients residing in California. The Board's licensure process and criteria are outlined on our website at: http://www.guidedogboard.ca.gov/forms_pubs/five_steps.shtml Please contact me if you would like more information on the licensure process, or if you identify any barriers that may impact your desire to participate in the licensure process. Additionally, the Guide Dog Board is in the process of determining how many guide dog users reside in California. In order to identify an accurate population, we are surveying each guide dog program in the country asking how many active teams from your program are currently residing in California. If you could please respond simply by emailing or calling me for a quick discussion, I would greatly appreciate it. I look forward to working with you. Thank you for your time, Brian Skewis Executive Officer California State Board of Guide Dogs for the Blind Email: brian.skewis at dca.ca.gov Back to Top | Help | Contact Us | Get Acrobat | Disclaimer | Conditions of Use | Privacy Policy Copyright C 2015 State of California -------------- next part -------------- An HTML attachment was scrubbed... URL: http://nfbcal.org/pipermail/cagdu/attachments/20150327/e71b198f/attachment.html