Concerning State I.D. cards being accepted as valid identification

WHEREAS, in the State of Florida government-issued identification cards are required by airports, car rental agencies, banks, hotels, medical facilities and other state and local entities,; and

WHEREAS, as most adults in the state of Florida drive motor vehicles, the common form of government-issued identification is a valid driver's license; and

WHEREAS, the state of Florida Department of Motor Vehicles issues a Florida Identification Card to those persons who do not have valid driver's licenses, for the purpose of identification, to be used whenever government-issued identification is

required; and

WHEREAS, the identification criteria for obtaining a Florida Identification Card are every bit as rigorous as those which must be met for obtaining a valid driver's license; and

WHEREAS, there are agencies, businesses, organizations and companies which have chosen not to recognize the validity of the Florida Identification Card; and

WHEREAS, everything from renting a car to obtaining a fishing license has been denied to consumers because of lack of a valid Florida driver�s license; and

WHEREAS, the denial of access or services to those who do not possess driver's licenses but do have valid Florida Identification Cards is a violation of the persons rights as a citizen and a violation of  the American's with Disabilities Act:  Now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the National Federation of the Blind of Florida in Convention assembled this thirty-first day of May, 2010, in the City of Orlando, Florida, that we call upon the legislature of the State of Florida to strengthen existing laws to require the acceptance of the Florida Identification Card by any business or organization which would accept a valid Florida Driver's License as a form of identification; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that copies of this resolution be sent to the Department of Motor Vehicles, the Honorable Governor Charlie Crist, Attorney General Bill McCollum, and all other appropriate legislators and personnel.