%>> A DISABLED LEGISLATOR DOES
%BATTLE WITH SPEAKER ROBIN VOS
%OVER ACCOMMODATIONS AT
%THE CAPITOL.
%IN TONIGHT'S "FIRST LOOK," WE
%TALK WITH DEMOCRATIC STATE
%REPRESENTATIVE JIMMY
%ANDERSON, WHO ALREADY MISSED A
%VOTE ON THE LAME-DUCK LAW
%BECAUSE HE COULDN'T STAY AT THE
%CAPITOL OVERNIGHT.
%HE NOW SEEKS TO BE ABLE TO
%TELEPHONE IN TO PUBLIC HEARINGS.
%VOS SAYS PHONING IN IS
%DISRESPECTFUL AND ASSEMBLY RULES
%DON'T ALLOW IT.
%ANDERSON IS PARALYZED FROM A
%CRASH CAUSED BY A DRUNK DRIVER.
%WE REACHED OUT TO
%SPEAKER VOS FOR CLARITY ON THIS
%AND DIDN'T HEAR BACK.
%HE DID, HOWEVER, SEND A LETTER
%TO REPRESENTATIVE ANDERSON
%CALLING WHAT HE'S DOING
%"POLITICAL GRANDSTANDING."
%WE
STARTED BY
ASKING
THE
%REPRESENTATIVE'S REACTION TO%
THAT.
%>>
I'M
SIMPLY
ASKING
FOR
%ACCOMMODATIONS
THAT
ARE
OWED
TO
%ME
UNDER
THE
A.D.A.,
AND
SPEAKER%VOS HAS
BEEN
AWARE
O
F
MY
%ACCOMMODATION
REQUESTS
ALL THE
%WAY
BACK
IN
JANUARY,
AND
HAS
%IGNORED
THEM
FOR
MONTHS,
SO
I
%THINK THAT
THE
ONLY
WAY
I'VE
%BEEN ABLE
TO
GET
HIM
TO
PAY
%ATTENTION TO
THESE
ISSUES
IS
%BEING ABLE TO
TALK
ABOUT THEM IN
%THE MEDIA
AND
HAVE
THE
PEOPLE
OF
%WISCONSIN
PUT
PRESSURE ON
HIM TO
%DO
THE
RIGHT
THING.%>>
AND
YET HE SAID
THAT
YOU
DID
%NOT GO
DIRECTLY
TO
HIM
OR
H.R.
%WITH
YOUR REQUEST
TO
BE
ABLE
TO
%PHONE IN
TO
PUBLIC
HEARINGS, BUT
%HE HEARD I
T
THROUGH
THE
MEDIA,
%SAYING THAT
CALLS
INTO
QUESTION
%YOUR SERIOUSNESS.
%WHAT
ABOUT
THAT?
%>>
I
TAKE
MY
DISABILITY
VER
Y
%SERIOUSLY, SO
I
THINK
IT'S --
%HE'S COMPLETELY
MISCONSTRUING
%THE PROPER WAY
IN
WHICH WE'RE
%GOING
TO
ADDRESS THIS
PROBLEM.
%YOU
KNOW,
WHENEVER I
HAVE A
%DISABILITY
REQUEST
RELATED
TO
%SOMETHING THAT'S LIKE
PHYSICALLY
%WITH
THE
BUILDING,
WHETHER
IT'S
%VOICE
RECOGNITION
SOFTWARE FOR
%MY
LAPTOP
OR
CHANGES
BEING
MADE
%TO
MY
DESK, FOR
INSTANCE,
I'VE
%GONE
TO
THE
SERGEANT'S OFFICE
%AND
THOSE
ACCOMMODATIONS HAVE%BEEN
PROVIDED.
%THIS WAS
A
CHANGE
TO
THE
%ASSEMBLY RULES
THAT
REQUIRES
A
%VOTE
BY
R
ESOLUTION,
AND THE
WAY
%THAT
WE
CHANGE
THESE
RULES
HAS
%ALWAYS
BEEN
NEGOTIATIONS
BETWEEN
%DEMOCRATIC AND
REPUBLICAN
%LEADERSHIP.
%SO WHAT
I
DID
WAS
I
WENT
TO
%DEMOCRATIC
LEADERSHIP
AND
SAID,
%THESE ARE
THE
ACCOMMODATIONS I
%NEED, THIS IS
THE
PROPER
%PROCESS, AND WE
WENT
THROUGH
THE
%PROPER PROCESS
AND
SPEAKER
VOS
%SAID
NO,
I'M
NOT
GOING
TO
%PROVIDE
THOSE
ACCOMMODATIONS.
%I
DON'T
KNOW
HOW
MUCH
MORE
CLEAR
%HE
COULD
HAVE
BEEN
ON THE
ISSUE.%>>
HE
DOES
SAY, AND
AS
YOU
%ACKNOWLEDGE THAT
SOME
%ACCOMMODATIONS
WERE
MADE,
%INCLUDING
A
SPECIAL
MICROPHONE,%SPECIAL
VOTING
EQUIPMENT
AND
CAB
%FARE WHEN A
STAFFER WOULD
TAKE
%YOU
HOME.
%DESCRIBE FOR US
WHY
YOU
NEED
%THIS
ADDITIONAL
ACCOMMODATION
TO
%BE ABLE
TO
CALL
INTO
HEARINGS?%>> I
THINK
PART OF
THE
PROBLEM%IS
THAT SPEAKER
VOS,
WHEN
HE
%SAYS PEOPLE
ARE
DRIVING FOR
%HOURS, WHY
CAN'T YOU
DRIVE
IN,
%JIMMY?
%IT'S A
DIFFERENCE
BETWEEN
HAVING
%YOUR
AUTONOMETER GET
YOU
UP IN
%THE
MORNING AND
WHAT
ME AS
A
%QUADRIPLEGIC FACES.
%I
HAVE
TO
RELY
ON
OTHER
PEOPLE
%TO
HELP
GET
ME
IN
AND OUT
OF
BED
%OR TO
GET
ME
DRESSED, FOR
%INSTANCE, AND
YOU
KNOW, FOR
%INSTANCE, MY
MORNING
HEALTHCARE
%PROVIDER, SHE
HAS
A
KID
THAT
%NEEDS
TO GO
TO
DAYCARE
AND
AS
%ANYONE
WITH
CHILDREN
KNOWS,
%SOMETIMES
KIDS
DON'T COOPERATE.
%SO
IF
SHE'S
15, 20 MINUTES
LATE,
%THAT MEANS
I'M 15
OR 20
MINUTES
%LATE.
%AND SO
BEING
ABLE TO
CALL
IN
TO
%THE
MORNINGS,
I
HAVE
ACCESS
TO
A
%PHONE
24/7,
SO
IF
SHE'S
RUNNING
%LATE, I
CAN
STILL
CALL
IN
TO
MY
%COMMITTEE
HEARINGS
AND
%PARTICIPATE.
%AND YOU
KNOW,
THAT'S
WHAT
MY
%CONSTITUENTS WANT.
%THEY
ELECTED
ME,
WHEELCHAIR AND
%ALL, THEY
UNDERSTOOD THIS WAS
%GOING TO
COME
WITH
CERTAIN
%ACCOMMODATIONS BUT IF
I'M
NOT
%ALLOWED
T
O
PARTICIPATE IN
THE
%PROCESS,
I'M
BEING
%DISENFRANCHISED
ESSENTIALLY.%>> AT
THIS
POINT,
THE
SPEAKER%SAYS HE WILL
HAVE
A
VIDEOGRAPHER
%AT
PUBLIC
HEARINGS IF
YOU
GIVE
%HIM
ADEQUATE
NOTICE
AND
WILL
%PROPOSE
PAPER
BALLOTS FOR
VOTING
%IN
EXECUTIVE SESSION.
%HE
SAYS HE
HOPES
YOU
FIND
THIS
%SATISFACTORY.%DO YOU?%
>>
NOT
AT
ALL.
%A
VIDEOGRAPHER IS
ESSENTIALLY
%SAYING I
CAN
WATCH
THE
%PROCEEDINGS BUT I
CAN'T
%PARTICIPATE, I
CAN'T
ASK
%QUESTIONS, I
CAN'T
PROVIDE
%INSIGHT.
%I
MEAN,
THE
VERY POINT
OF
THESE
%COMMITTEE
HEARINGS IS
SO
WE
CAN
%ALL LEND OUR
EXPERTISE AND
%EXPERIENCES TO MAKE
OUR
%LEGISLATION
BETTER FOR PEOPLE
IN
%OUR
DISTRICTS IN THE STATE OF%WISCON
SIN.%SO THE IDEA
THAT
I'M
STILL
NOT
%ALLOWED
TO
PARTICIPATE
%COMPLETELY MISSES
THE
POINT.
%AS
FOR
THE
PAPER
BALLOTING, I
%THINK IT'S
A
FINE
IDEA,
IT'S NOT
%SOMETHING
I
SPECIFICALLY ASKED
%FOR,
BUT
IF
IT
MAKES
THE
%LEGISLATION OR IT
MAKES
THE
%LEGISLATURE
BETTER
AND
OTHER
%MEMBERS WANT
IT,
I'M
FULLY
%SUPPORTIVE.%>> NOW AS
YOU
WELL
KNOW,
IN
%2017,
LEGISLATORS COULD
APPEAR
%BY WEB
CAMERA,
BUT
RULE
CHANGES
%THAT
YEAR
ELIMINATED
THAT
%PROVISION, AND YOU
VOTED
FOR
%THAT CHANGE.
%WHY?%>>
SO THAT
WAS
MY
VERY FIRST
%VOTE
ESSENTIALLY OF
THE
%LEGISLATURE AND
I'D
NEVER
SERVED
%IN OFFICE BEFORE.
%I
DIDN'T
KNOW
WHAT IT
WAS
LIKE,
%WHAT
THE
EXPERIENCE WAS GOING
TO
%BE
LIKE, WHAT
I
WAS
GOING
TO
%NEED AS A
DISABLED
LEGISLATOR,
%SO AS I
WENT
THROUGH
THAT FIRST
%YEAR,
AFTER
THAT
TERRIBLE%LAME-DUCK SESSION, I
UNDERSTOOD
%WHAT
THE
ACCOMMODATIONS I
WAS
%GOING TO
NEED,
SO
THAT'S
WHY
I
%MADE THOSE
REQUESTS.
%KNOWING WHAT I
LEARNED
AFTER
%THAT FIRST YEAR,
I
NEVER
WOULD
%HAVE
SUPPORTED
A
SIMILAR
RULE IN
%THE
FUTURE.%>>
SPEAKER
VOS,
AND
WE
SHOULD
%SAY AGAIN THAT HE
DID
NOT
%RESPOND TO
OUR
REQUESTS
FOR
AN
%INTERVIEW
ON
THIS
OR
COMMENT
ON
%IT, BUT
HE
DESCRIBES
IT
AS
%DISRESPECTFUL TO
HAVE ONE
PERSON
%APPEAR
BY
SPEAKERPHONE
WHILE
%CITIZENS TAKE
TIME
OUT
TO
%TESTIFY
BEFORE
COMMITTEE
IN
%PERSON.
%WHAT ABOUT
THAT
IDEA
OF
IT
BEING
%DISRESPECTFUL?%>> I
THINK
IT'S
DISRESPECTFUL,%WHAT
HE'S
DOING
TO
MY
%CONSTITUENTS.
%THE FACT THAT
HE'S
NOT
ALLOWING%ME TO
BE
ABLE
TO
BE A
S FULL
A
%LEGISLATOR AS
HUMANLY
POSSIBLE.
%OUR
SENATE
ALREADY
OPERATES THIS
%WAY,
THEY
HAVE
SPEAKERPHONES AND
%FOR THE MOST
PART,
I'VE
ALWAYS
%BEEN
ABLE
TO
ATTEND
IN
PERSON AS%LONG AS THINGS
HAVE
BEEN
%REASONABLY
SCHEDULED.
%I'M HAPPY TO
BE
HERE,
I
ENJOY
%BEING
HERE, I
LOVE
DOING
THIS
%JOB, BUT
THERE
ARE
THOSE
SMALL
%INSTANCES WHERE M
Y
DISABILITY
%REQUIRES
THESE
ACCOMMODATIONS.
%SO
T
O
DENY
MEE
THOSE
%ACCOMMODATIONS IS WHAT I
THINK
%IS
DISRESPECTFUL.%>> NOW
YOU'VE
TAKEN EXCEPTION
TO%THE
WAY
THE LAME-DUCK SESSION
%HAPPENED A
VOTE
AT 4:30 IN THE
%
MORNING, WHICH YOU
MISSED.
%WHY COULDN'T YOU
BE
THERE?%>>
SO
BEING
IN
THIS
WHEELCHAIR,
%I CAN'T
BE
IN
THIS
WHEELCHAIR
%FOR
EXTENDED
PERIODS
OF
TIME.
%IT'S DANGEROUS
TO
MY
HEALTH,
NOT
%ONLY THAT,
BUT
AGAIN,
I'M
%RELYING
ON
OTHER
INDIVIDUALS TO
%HELP ME
DURING THE DAY.
%SO
IN
THAT
INSTANCE,
AT
AROUND,%YOU
KNOW,
9:00, 10:00, I
STARTED
%MESSAGING
REPUBLICAN
LEADERSHIP
%SAYING I
NEED
TO
KNOW
WHEN WE'RE
%GOING TO
BE ON
THE
FLOOR
BECAUSE
%I
HAVE
A
HOME
HEALTH AIDE
I
HAVE%TO SCHEDULE.
%THEY
BASICALLY SAID
I
DON'T
%KNOW.
%SO I
HAD
TO
GO
HOME
BECAUSE
IF I
%DIDN'T GO
HOME
AT
THA
T
HOUR, I
%WOULDN'T BE ABLE
TO GO TO
BED, I
%COULDN'T GET OUT OF MY
CHAIR, IT
%COULD HAVE BEEN
REALLY DANGEROUS
%FOR
ME
PERSONALLY.
%SO
THAT'S
WHY I
MISSED
THE
VOTE
%THAT
DAY.%>>
AS
TO
THAT,
YOU
ASKED
THE%ATTORNEY
GENERAL, JOSH
KAUL,
TO
%REVIEW
THAT
VOTE TO
SEE
IF
IT
%VIOLATED THE
OPEN
MEETINGS
LAW.
%WHAT'S
THE
STATUS
OF
THAT
REVIEW
%TO
YOUR
KNOWLEDGE?%>>
SO
WE'RE
STILL
WAITING.
%OPEN
MEETING
LAWS
SAY
%SPECIFICALLY THAT
IF
ANY
DULY
%ELECTED MEMBER
I
S
EXCLUDED FROM%A
MEETING OF
THE
LEGISLATOR,
THE
%LAW IS
THEY
ARE
INVALID.
%MY
ARGUMENT IS
THAT
SPEAKER VOS
%AND THE
REPUBLICAN
LEADERSHIP
%WERE AWARE OF
MY
DISABILITY,%KNEW THAT I HAD
TO
GO
HOME
%BECAUSE OF
MY
DISABILITY
AND
YET
%CONTINUED TO
HOLD
THIS
VOTE
%ANYWAY.
%SO
WE'RE
STILL
WAITING
TO
HEAR
%BACK FROM,
YOU
KNOW, ATTORNEY
%GENERAL
KAUL.%>>
LASTLY,
SPEAKER VOS
SAYS
HE
%HAS ALWAYS
MADE
SURE
THE
%ASSEMBLY
ABIDES
BY
THE AMERICANS%WITH DISABILITIES AC
T.%HAVE
YOU
SOUGHT
OUTSIDE
OPINION
%ON
W
HETHER
ASSEMBLY RULES
DO, IN
%FACT, CONFORM
TO
THE
ADA?%>> OTHER THAN
WHAT
SPEAKER
VOS
%IS CURRENTLY
DOING, ABSOLUTELY%NOT.
%THE
D.O.J.
HAS
PUT
OUT
A
PRIMER
%EXPLAINING
WHAT
STATE
LAW
AND
%GOVERNMENTS HAVE TO DO
TO MEET
%THE
ADA
AND
THEY
SPECIFICALLY
%TALK
ABOUT
PROVIDING
A
%TELECONFERENCE
SYSTEM
FOR
PEOPLE
%WITH
WHEELCHAIRS OR
PEOPLE
WHO
%NEED
THAT BECAUSE
OF A
%DISABILITY.
%THEY'VE ALREADY
SPOKEN ON
THIS
%ISSUE.
%HE'S NOT
FOLLOWING,
HE'S IN
FACT
%BREAKING THE
LAW
RIGHT
NOW.%>>