Mark Watkins tells Senate panel his lived experience as a blind educator; committee to vote at next meeting

Mark Watkins appeared virtually before the Idaho Senate Health and Welfare Committee to discuss his gubernatorial reappointment to the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired.

Watkins identified himself as a Rexburg resident and a professor in the music department at Brigham Young University–Idaho. He told the committee he has been legally blind his whole life and became completely blind about seven years ago. Watkins said he attended the state assessment and training center in Boise for 12 weeks during the COVID-19 pandemic and described the training as "invaluable." He said that experience led to an invitation to serve on the commission and that he has attended quarterly meetings for three years.

"A big part of it is experience being blind, experience being low vision," Watkins said, describing the perspective he brings to the board and noting colleagues on the commission include professionals who work full time while serving on the board. He described earlier gaps in services when he was young, including inconsistent access to braille instruction and mobility training, and said current state programs provide opportunities he did not have.

Sen. Melissa Wintrow and Sen. Bjerke asked Watkins about his qualifications and what he would bring to the commission; Watkins discussed low-vision aids, education supports and vocational rehabilitation services that benefited him. The committee said it would vote on his reappointment at the next meeting; no final vote occurred during this session.

Watkins thanked the members for their time and described his service as rewarding. The committee recorded that it will vote on the reappointment at its next scheduled meeting.