February 5, 1999

Greetings,

I am pleased and excited to announce that the California Democratic Council
has approved my first 2 resolutions submitted to them as Chair of Democrats
North Orange County Disability Committee.

This is a demonstration of my zeal to advance the rights and causes of people 
with disabilities.

I welcome any suggestions or ideas that I can use to create future resolutions
to further the rights of people with disabilities.

Richard Roehm
Deaf@activist.com

(Resolution #1 to ask that California withdraws from it's support of ADA
threateneing L.C. v Olmstead case)

DEMOCRATS OF NORTH ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
for consideration by the
CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC COUNCIL
regarding

L.C. v. Olmstead, 1998 WL 163707

WHEREAS people with disabilities have been incarcerated in institutions
against their wishes for many years, and Title II of the Americans with
Disabilities Act prohibits discrimination against individuals with
disabilities in the provision of public services by state and local
governments; and 

WHEREAS Section 12132 provides that "no qualified individual with a
disability shall, by reason of their disability, be excluded from
participation in, or  be denied, the benefits of the services, programs, or
activities of a public entity, or be subjected to discrimination by any such
entity;" and 

WHEREAS on April 8, 1998, The 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals issued a
ruling in a case of  first impression, in which patients challenged their
continued confinement in psychiatric facilities in Georgia. The Court held 
that:

	1) The ADA and the Department of Justice's integration regulation prohibit
           the state from confining people with disabilities in a state run
           institution when that individual could be more appropriately
           treated in a more integrated community setting.

	2) The continued confinement of patients in state psychiatric hospitals, 
           in segregated environments, violated the ADA, despite the state's
           claim that it did not have funds available to fund alternatives; and

WHEREAS the State of California under the Republican leadership of Gov. Pete
Wilson and then-Attorney General Dan Lungren filed a brief supporting
Olmstead's appeal of the The 11th Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals ruling on
the L.C. v. Olmstead, and Olmstead's appeal stated that the effect this
ruling will would be cost burdensome to institutions, the Civil Rights
Commission's reported on October 2, 1998, they have made it clear the cost
of compliance is not an appropriate argument for refusing to enforce the laws
Congress has passed.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC COUNCIL continue to
affirm the rights of people with disabilities and ask Governor Gray Davis
and Attorney General revoke and withdraw the State of California's support
of Olmstead's appeal.

THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC COUNCIL ask
that Governor Gray Davis and Attorney General Lockyer notify Olmsetad that
they will withdraw the State of California's  brief in support of Olmstead's
position.

        ************************************************

(Resolution #2 to ask the Orange County Transportation Authority NOT to
raise the bus fares of disabled and senior citizen riders)

DEMOCRATS OF NORTH ORANGE COUNTY, CALIFORNIA

A PROPOSED RESOLUTION
for consideration by the
CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC COUNCIL
regarding

ORANGE COUNTY TRANSPORTATION AUTHORITY FARE CHANGES

WHEREAS most senior citizens and people with disabilities live on fixed
incomes; and,

WHEREAS the National Organization on Disability in their Landmark Harris
Survey released on July 23, 1998, shows that Americans with disabilities
still face gaps in securing jobs, education, accessible public
transportation and in many areas of daily life; and the National Institute
on Disability and Rehabilitation Research, in their 1998 Chartbook on Work
and Disability in the United States, finds that people with a disability are
less likely to have a job or business than people with no disability; and,

WHEREAS the planned fare changes present an increasing hardship on senior
citizens and people with disabilities.

THEREFORE, BE IT RESOLVED THAT THE CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC COUNCIL urgently
demand that the fare rates for senior citizens and people with disabilities
remain unchanged.

THEREFORE, BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED THAT THE CALIFORNIA DEMOCRATIC COUNCIL
notify the Orange County Transportation Authority how imperative it is that
the fare for senior citizens and people with disabilities remain unchanged.