GOVERNOR JEB BUSH SIGNS

A STATE OF VISION SPECIALTY LICENSE PLATE

June 23, 2006

Today, Governor Jeb Bush signed House Bill 281 creating a new specialty license plate to benefit blind and visually impaired Floridians.

Sponsored by Representative Dennis Baxley (R – Ocala), HB 281 will generate monies for "direct support services" to Floridians statewide through a network of 15 local non-profit agencies which comprise the Florida Association of Agencies Serving the Blind (FAASB).

FAASB President and Executive Director of the Lighthouse Central Florida, Lee Nasehi, said, "The number of Floridians with vision loss or blindness is on the rise, especially given the steady growth of the elderly population in our state; the funds earned from the sale of the license plate will be a tremendous boost to the direct-support services that we are able to provide to our clients".

FAASB’s local non-profit agency members are: Lighthouse Central Florida, Conklin Centers for the Blind, Florida Center for the Blind, Florida Institute of Rehabilitation Education (FIRE), Independence for the Blind, Independent Living for Adult Blind, Lighthouse of Broward County, Lighthouse for the Visually Impaired and Blind, Lighthouse of Mana-Sota, Miami Lighthouse for the Blind and Visually Impaired, Lighthouse of Pinellas, Tampa Lighthouse for the Blind, Visually Impaired Persons Center, Visually Impaired Persons of Charlotte County.

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