Get Full Government Meeting Transcripts, Videos, & Alerts Forever!
Get email alerts on the Commission Blind Visually Impaired topic
No spam. Unsubscribe anytime.
Senate committee advances Schneider reappointment to Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired; Watkins interviewed virtually
Summary
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee voted to send the gubernatorial reappointment of Alan Schneider to the full Senate with a recommendation for confirmation. Mark Watkins, a current commissioner and BYU–Idaho music professor, met with the committee remotely; his reappointment will be voted on at the committee's next meeting.
The Senate Health and Welfare Committee on an oral voice vote sent the gubernatorial reappointment of Alan Schneider to the Commission for the Blind and Visually Impaired to the full Senate with a recommendation for confirmation. Senator Melissa Wintrow moved the recommendation and Senator Jim Blaylock seconded the motion.
The action came as the committee considered two reappointments. Mark Watkins, who appeared remotely, identified himself as a professor in the music department at Brigham Young University–Idaho and described his experience as a person with significant vision loss. Watkins said he has served on the commission for three years and described services he received from the state assessment and training center in Boise, which he said helped him maintain his university position after losing remaining vision.
"I've been legally blind my whole life, and went completely blind some 7 years ago," Mark Watkins said. "Those people are amazing. What they taught me was invaluable." Watkins told the committee he attended the Boise assessment and training program for 12 weeks during the first year of the COVID-19 pandemic and that the experience led to his appointment to the commission.
Members asked about the duties and perspectives Watkins brings to the panel. Senator Bjerke asked him to describe in more detail the services and opportunities the commission supports; Watkins cited low-vision aids, educational supports and vocational-rehabilitation services he said were not available earlier in his life.
The committee chair told Watkins the panel would vote on his reappointment at the committee's next meeting. No committee vote on Watkins's reappointment was taken during the session.
Alan Schneider did not address the committee during the meeting; his reappointment was put forward by motion and approved by voice vote.
The committee adjourned with the chair scheduling another meeting for the following day, when Watkins's reappointment will be considered further.
