|
Have you seen "Million Dollar Baby", with Clint Eastwood as
the star and Director? Apparently it is about a quadriplegic that Clint
assists in a suicide. I will go see the movie before our Saturday meeting.
I am eager to see how Clint Eastwood, a past ADA Defendant regarding his
not providing access features at his properties handles disability in his
movie.
In February, I spent a week at the legislature looking for
sponsors. I passed out our list of priories to a lot of legislators. I
spoke individually to Senator Atwater and Senator Smith about handling our
two main issues.
Senator
Smith was at least gracious enough to have his office call back to decline
taking on the Quadriplegic Bill. The access bill was left with Senator
Atwater's staff. I recently called to see if it got filed before the
deadline for bills and have not got an answer. Only Senator Nan Rich's
office called back to tell us that they would sponsor the "Service Dog"
bill. It is Senate Bill 642. It passed through its first committee and
looks like there is no companion. I once helped move a bill through the
legislature with no companion, but that was SB 227, in 1974. It can be
done. But, this is a different legislature.
While trying to get sponsors for bills in Tallahassee, Rep.
Seiler & Rep. Simmons responded that the deadline for filing bills had
just ended. Rep. Robiana, Miami, sponsor of our priority bill, indicates
he may not have filed it at all.
At the last session we came with amendments. Legislators told
us to come next year early, and we did. Unfortunately, that didn't work
too well. Legislators took the information on our goals. And it stopped
there. Lots of talk, pleading and no firm results, except for Sen. Nan
Rich. People with disabilities represent about 20% of this state's
population. Each House member was allowed to introduce 6 bills each. It
will be interesting to see which 6 bills each legislator introduced, and
where disability stands with their bill priority selection. We will
returned with our amendments, and probably be told to get them in early
for next year.
I was supposed to make it up to the Legislature the week of
February 8, 2005, to find more sponsors. However, a judge in Miami had me
appear in court on February 8, 2005, the third trial date in a row for a
"trial". I considered this a "lynching" due to a code enforcement officer
efforts to have me convicted of battery felony charge. The State
Attorney's office asked that the charge be reduced to a misdemeanor and
the process began. Another arraignment, report and report, etc.. This all
had to do with a business sign in front of my store on Saturday. Even
though she did not tell the police on the scene that she got "battered",
she later made up a battery issue and the State Attorney pushed the issue.
But only after four months after the event. Recently, I went to 3 trial
dates, because I was not going to take a plea over something that never
happened. It was risky as the judge could sentence me to a year if the
jury ended up believing that lying code officer. On Feb. 8, 2005, on the
day the jury was going to be selected, the State Attorney's Office finally
"dropped the charges". The Code Enforcement Officer, who never produced an
I.D. or stated she was a Code Enforcement Officer as she stole my sign
will undoubtedly be promoted and given bonuses for getting me arrested on
a false charge, The Code Enforcement Officers will probably continue drive
poorly marked vehicles and have poorly marked shirts so incidents will
happen to others. And you can still get a free "Abolish Team Metro"
bumper sticker at Denny's business. (SW 106 Ave. #2, Miami, Florida)
(The Florida Paraplegic
Association, Inc was founded in March of 1957. The organization was
established for advocacy. Members of the FPA were instrumental in the
creation of the Special Transportation Service in Miami in mid 1970's. FPA
members took their issues to the State Legislature in 1974-1976 their
members lobbied much meaningful legislation through the legislature. The
laws of Florida on disability spurred the nation into similar advocacy. It
is very safe to say that the FPA laid the foundation for the American's
With Disabilities Act. At least two FPA members attended the ADA Bill
signing in Washington DC at the invitation of President Bush. The current
FPA president has attended 11 complete legislative sessions and will
attend the 2005 session. In the month of February we will list the
legislative priories that the FPA will work on at the 2005 Legislature. If
you want to help, join the e-mail lists, as we will be very active at the
session. Send us your e-mail if you are not on the list yet. We don't have
bundles of campaign checks for legislators, but we have big numbers of
votes at election time that can't be bought.)
Contact:
FPA President, Denny R. Wood, 13000 SW 92
Ave., B-403, Miami, FL
33176, Wk: 305-253-2563, Home: 305-278-0755. Also see
www.flpa.net.
Contact: Marjorie
Burnett, Treasurer, 13020 SW 13020 SW 92 Ave., A-310,
Miami, FL 33176, Dues $5.00 a year, life membership $25.00, all ADA
disabilities can run for election, all people are invited as members.
Donations are also accepted to defray
expenses.
|
