Give Us the Ballot

Clift Notes: Absentee Voting in Tennessee

By Christina Clift

At the age of eighteen every American is granted the right to vote in local, state, and federal elections. It is a right that hundreds of thousands of people have fought, marched, and died to defend. However, people with disabilities may be excluded from voting. The Americans with Disabilities Act was enacted thirty-four years ago and requires that every voting option be accessible to voters with disabilities so that all voters can vote independently and privately whether in person or by mail. 

Since the ADA, the disability community has fought for accessible polling locations, accessible voting machines, and assisted in training polling officials. Things have gotten better. Yet, voters with print disabilities in Tennessee still do not have the ability to cast their absentee ballot in private or independently. In Tennessee absentee voting still remains as inaccessible today as it was fifty years ago. Shocking Right?

But there is hope on the horizon thanks to proposed legislation by the National Federation of the Blind Tennessee. The purpose of the Print Disability Absentee Ballot Accessibility Act is to increase voter access for people who have print disabilities. In-person voters consistently face barriers such as malfunctioning accessible voting machines, with polling officials lacking the ability to fix them or make even minor corrections. In rural areas transportation to the polls is challenging or nonexistent, so getting to a polling site is sometimes impossible. 

The Tennessee voting by mail system is also inaccessible. Blind voters and other people with comparable print disabilities are unable to mark their paper ballots independently. As a result, people with print disabilities must rely on others to mark their ballots, giving them no privacy, an unsecure vote, and very little independence. This violates the rights afforded by the ADA. In today’s political climate in which every vote matters would you want to have someone else marking your ballot without being able to see that it was done correctly? Do you want someone else to know who you voted for, especially if it is different from theirs? Privacy and independence are a critical part of each citizen's vote.

The Solution:

• The Print Disability Absentee Voting Act will allow people with print disabilities to receive an electronic delivery of their mail-in ballot just like our veterans serving overseas.

• Tennesseans with print disabilities will be able to fill out their accessible ballot independently using large print, screen readers, or other accessible means, ensuring that their ballots truly point to the candidate they wish to vote for.

• Then, the ballot will be printed out and mailed to their local voting district.  

Taking Your Medicine Can Be Deadly

Accessible Prescription Labels Save Lives

By Christina Clift, The Memphis Center for Independent Living
For many people taking prescription medication can be challenging. This could be due to an inability to remember to take it as the doctor prescribed, an inability to swallow large pills, opening the bottle, distinguishing the medication or even being able to pay for it. For blind individuals taking prescription medication can be deadly due to inaccessible prescription labels and instructions.

The National Federation of the Blind Tennessee is working to require pharmacies to provide accessible prescription labels to any blind person who requests it. Pharmacies across the state would be required to develop a system to ensure equal access. This legislation (SB1859 HB1999) is sponsored by Senator Becky Massey and has been introduced in the Senate Health Committee. Unfortunately, the bill has met with opposition from pharmacists.

You might not be aware that the state of Tennessee operates pharmacies which are often located within health departments across the state. This legislation would not only apply to your local Walgreens or CVS, but also to the state institutions. As a result of the opposition, the NFBTN has agreed to amend the bill to say that the legislature shall require the Tennessee Pharmacy Board to create regulations and propagate rules for accessible prescription labels in Tennessee. These rules would be developed in another year or so.

“This legislation is important because it impacts the health and safety of blind Tennesseans each time they open and take medication from a bottle that they can not read the label,” said Calvin Poole. “I received a heavy box of medication in the mail and when I opened it up, I found medications prescribed for three other individuals. If I had not had the technology to read the labels, I would have taken medication that was not meant for me and that could have killed me.”

Throughout the years blind individuals have created their own systems of keeping their medications straight. They include marking the bottles in a unique way, remembering the shape of the pills, using pill organizers, creating braille labels, or relying upon others to ensure that they took the correct ones. 

These systems are not perfect but we all made do. One blind Tennessean said “One evening I thought I was taking my calcium supplement. The next morning I took my medication as normal which included taking my calcium supplement in the morning and evening. The next day I started to feel dizzy and light-headed. As it turned out I had mistakenly taken my blood pressure medication in place of my calcium.”

It is because of these stories and hundreds of untold ones that the passage of this legislation is important. You may contact your state representative and tell them your feelings. The NFBTN and disability community will not stop fighting until everyone has equal access to take their prescription medications safely, privately, and can read the labels.

Check on your Stimulus Check

Clift Notes

Christina Clift

For the past year, the Coronavirus has ravaged our country killing more than 400,000 people, causing hundreds of businesses to close, millions of people to lose their jobs, long lines for families needing food and countless families facing eviction from their homes.  Wearing masks, social distancing, virtual learning, and working from home have become our new normal.  

In April 2020 Congress authorized the Cares Act which provided economic impact payments, often referred to as stimulus checks in the amount of $1,200.00 to most Americans.  Unfortunately for many individuals this was not enough help as the pandemic continued to worsen.  

Eight months have passed since the Cares Act was passed and now Congress has authorized a second round of help.  While Congress continues debating whether to increase the stimulus payments from $600.00 to $2,000.00 here is what you need to know.

Eligible individuals who did not receive an Economic Impact Payment this year – either the first or the second payment – will be able to claim it when they file their 2020 taxes in 2021. 

The IRS urges taxpayers who did not receive a payment this year to review the eligibility criteria when they file their 2020 taxes; many people, including recent college graduates, may be eligible to claim it. People will see the Economic Impact Payments (EIP) referred to as the Recovery Rebate Credit (RRC) on Form 1040 or Form 1040-SR since the EIPs are an advance payment of the RRC.

During the first round of Economic Impact Payment there were a number of issues involving people not receiving their payments:

• As with the first round of payments under the CARES Act, most recipients will receive these payments by direct deposit. For Social Security and other beneficiaries who received the first round of payments via Direct Express, they will receive this second payment the same way.  Anyone who received the first round of payments earlier this year but does not receive a payment via direct deposit will generally receive a check or, in some instances, a debit card. For those in this category, the payments will conclude in January.

 

• Check your payment status on the IRS website's "Get My Payment" portal. Be sure to also update your address and bank account details.  The IRS is supposed to have all stimulus checks sent out by Jan. 15, and if they do not, you will likely have to claim your money when you file your federal tax returns later this year.

• If you did not use a tax preparer service and still have not received your stimulus payment there could be other reason such as, you had a change in your banking institution or account  information  in the last year after the first stimulus check.
  
  

• If you did not receive the full amount of stimulus money you were entitled to you can claim the recovery rebate credit for the difference in the amount of your 2020 tax return based on Notice1444 received from the IRS, which was shared with you by the IRS after payment was made.

President Biden has said that there will be a third round of stimulus payments.  When that happens  our consumers won't have to spend a bunch of time and energy wondering when and where that third stimulus check will arrive.  If you have any further questions or issues regarding the Economic Impact Payment you can visit the Internal Revenue Service website at www.irs.gov.  If you work with MCIL and you do not have internet access an Independent Living Specialist may assist you with navigating the IRS website.  Our contact information is 901-726-6404.

Facts on the Stimulus Checks

Call MCIL if you need information about the COVID-19 Stimulus payment

By Christina Clift
In mid-April most Americans will begin receiving “economic impact payments” which is part of the CARES Act law that Congress passed, and the President signed in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.  This 2.2 trillion dollar rescue package will provide some help to Americans impacted by the Covid19 virus, but it will not be the only solution needed to begin combatting the economic fall-out this virus caused on our city, state, country, and world.  Many people are wondering if they are eligible, how much money will they receive, and how they will get their money. These are all valid questions given the initial confusion when this law was passed, but I’ve done my best to answer some of them below:

Who will be eligible for payments?

• You filed a tax return for either 2019 or 2018. 
• Your income is below the guidelines for the payments. $75,000 a year for individuals and $150,000 for married couples filing jointly
• People with higher incomes get less or no money. See the IRS information for more details.
• Social Security beneficiaries
• You are not a dependent on someone else’s tax form.
• You have a social security number 

How much money should I expect?

Anyone earning up to $75,000 in adjusted gross income and who has a Social Security number will receive a $1,200 payment. This means married couples filing joint returns will receive$2,400 that make under $150,000.

The payment steadily declines for those who make more. Those earning more than $99,000, or $198,000 for joint filers, are not eligible. The thresholds are slightly different for those who file as a head of household.  Parents will also receive $500 for each qualifying child.

How will I get the Money?

Don’t worry, payments will be direct deposited in your bank account or mailed to you in a check. The IRS will use the information you gave them when you filed your 2019 taxes. They will only use your 2018 tax information if you have not filed for this year.  It’s important to remember that the IRS will use the following information from your return to distribute your payment:

• The bank account you gave the IRS for direct deposit of your refund
• The address where you got a refund check
• The address on your most recent tax return

Social Security beneficiaries will not be left out.  You will receive payments just like everyone else, but will not be required to file a tax return.  The IRS will use the information from Social Security to send you a payment. They will do this for senior citizens, Social Security recipients and railroad retirees who otherwise don’t file a tax return.

The IRS is working on a way for individuals to update their information on the internet so you can get a payment quicker. Check back at

www.irs.gov/coronavirus in the next weeks. Direct deposit means you get the payment faster than if they send you a paper check.  If your address has changed you can visit the IRS website for more information at: 

https://www.irs.gov/faqs/irs-procedures/address-changes.

Remember, we are all in this together and MCIL will keep you up to date on issues that impact your life.  Please stay home, stay healthy, and stay tuned for more information.

Voters are told not to enlarge the ballot

Shelby County Election Commission fails to adequately accommodate voters

By Christina Clift

(MEMPHIS, Nov. 1) Do you see what I see?  On Wednesday October 17, 2018 early voting began in Shelby County and ends today.  In our county, voters who use screen magnification to cast their vote have run into problems. 

Tennessee state law requires that the two major parties’ candidates be at the top.  However, if a voter enlarges the print on the Shelby County ballot, candidates running for governor appear in a single column and the major party candidates are not listed at the top. 

Shelby County Election Commission was not aware of this problem before early voting started.  To remedy the problem, voters are told not to enlarge the print ballot and are supposed to be given a hand-held magnifying glass.

“The election Commission should do their job and ensure that the large print ballot works,” said Michael Heinrich. “And not do a half-assed effort in ensuring accessibility during such an important event.” 

For those of you who do not use hand-held magnification devices to read printed documents, they are like buying a pair of shoes.  Each person likes a different style. Some people prefer lighted magnifiers, some like round ones, others like rectangular ones, and some prefer magnifiers with no light.  Our Election Commission is mistaken to believe that providing hand held magnifiers to read the ballot will solve this problem.  

 “It’s like the blind community’s vote didn’t matter,” said Stephanie Jones.  “It discourages the blind from getting out to vote.”

Over the past few months the Memphis Center for Independent Living and other disability organizations reached out to the election Commission to express their willingness to help educate the public about the accessibility features of our voting machines as well as provide training to their staff.  But the Commission did not accept the offer for free assistance and instead may face expensive lawsuits and complaints.  

Now is the time when the average individual can let their voice be heard.  Races that will be decided include the U.S. House of Representatives, US Senate, gubernatorial races, state legislatures, and a slew of local offices.  

Early voting also called pre-poll voting or advance polling is a process by which  voters in a public election can vote prior to the scheduled election day.  

While the problem of the appearance of the ballot for screen magnification users has been identified, the Election Commission has stated that they do not plan to fix it.  So voters are left with only two options: either, use a hand-held magnifier that might or might not help, or do not vote independently and get sighted assistance to help.  

In my opinion, this violates the spirit of the Help America Vote Act (HAVA) even if it doesn’t technically violate it.  So please do not let the Election Commission stop you from voting and force them to do the jobs they’re payed to do.  We must hold them accountable not only on November 6, 2018, but by speaking up on this blatant disregard for the needs of blind voters.

Clift Notes: The State Rehabilitation Council

A funny thing happened on my way to convention…

By Christina Clift

I checked my e-mail and discovered that I’d been appointed by Governor Haslem to serve on the State Rehabilitation Council of Tennessee.   

Why was this funny? First of all I’d forgotten about submitting the application.  Second, I thought that I hadn’t been selected since I submitted my application at the end of August 2017 and it was April 3, 2018 when I received notification that I had been approved.  

 Honestly, no one could have been more surprised than me when I read the message. Finally, I was 95 percent sure that I would be elected to serve as president of the National Federation of the Blind of Tennessee that weekend and I knew that it would increase my responsibilities.  I did get elected and now my calendar is definitely full.  Never a moment of boredom.   

So you might be asking yourself what is the State Rehabilitation Council of Tennessee and why does it matter to me?  

The mission of the State Rehabilitation Council (SRC) of Tennessee is to advise, evaluate and partner with the public rehabilitation program in support of improving access to employment and promoting a diverse workforce statewide.  In other words, the SRC acts as the voice of the consumer and other stakeholders in the VR program. 

Like Centers for Independent Living, the SRC must have at least 51 percent participation from former or existing Vocational Rehabilitation clients which are people with disabilities.  Working for MCIL I know about the struggles individuals have gone through to receive training, to receive needed equipment, and to get and maintain employment.  I also learned that first-hand as a client of Vocational Rehabilitation myself.  

I knew that I wouldn’t have any problem being on the side of the consumer.  However, I knew that I had to keep an open-mind because issues aren’t always black and white and you have to be able to see both sides.

The meeting kicked off fairly smoothly with representatives from Vocational Rehabilitation giving an update on the four metrics currently being used to assist The Department of Rehabilitation Services.  They are referred to as customer focused goals. And they include: Vocational training services, providing job readiness, post-secondary education, and successful closures.  

These four areas enable the SRC and Vocational Rehabilitation the ability to track performance.  For example, the number of successful case closures for 2017-2018 is 2000 and currently they have closed 1776.  The metrics can then be examined to see the barriers to Vocational Rehabilitation clients or staff being able to close cases. They also reported on the impact that programs such as pre-employment transition services, Employment and Community First, and The Tennessee Promise are having on new applications.

Other areas of discussion were fairly straight forward.  They included member recruitment, creating outreach materials such as brochures, websites, and social media.  We also discussed ways to increase responses to customer satisfaction surveys for Vocational Rehabilitation.  Suggestions included: using events like the Mega Conference, NFB of Tennessee conventions, and more to set up tables.  Use of technology like survey monkey, texting links, and having organizations like CIL’s to assist as well. 

Overall, I think serving on the SRC will be a positive experience.  It will enable me to speak up on policies that act as barriers to service.  I will enable me to network with other agencies who have members on the SRC including STEP, the Department of Education, DRT, representatives from the business community, and other advocates speaking on behalf of disability populations.  These meetings are open to the public and I would strongly encourage anyone to attend.  After all, “nothing about us, without us.”  

 The next meeting is scheduled for August 9, 2018 in Nashville at the Airport Hilton located at 2200 Elm Hill Pike.