(Editors' Note: Long-time state Senator David Tomassoni, diagnosed with Lou Gehrig's disease a little more than a year ago, passed away on August 11, 2022. He served in the Minnesota Legislature beginning in 1992, moving from the House to the Senate in 2000. There he chaired committees on economic development and education, among others, and he was of great assistance on several of our successful legislative efforts. President Jacobson sent the following letter to him, including a video of it being read in refreshable braille, just after the adjournment of the 2022 legislative session. Senator Tomassoni was one who knew how to get things done, and, as can be seen from the letter of commendation, he made a positive difference for the blind of Minnesota.)

May 22, 2022

The Honorable David J. Tomassoni

Minnesota Senate

75 Rev. Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Blvd.

Capitol, Room 328

St. Paul, MN 55155

Dear Senator Tomassoni:

On behalf of all of the members of the National Federation of the Blind of Minnesota, I am writing to express our deepest gratitude for all that you have done for the state of Minnesota, and especially for Minnesotans who are blind, during your years of service. First and foremost, we commend you for having championed the successful effort to strengthen the certification and qualifications of state vocational rehabilitation counselors for the blind in 2010. Because you led the way on this issue in the Senate, the law now requires, as it never did before, that rehabilitation counselors working with blind people have specific and substantive training on how blind people live and work successfully using techniques other than sight. Because of this law, these counselors are better equipped to use the powerful influence they have on the lives of blind people in the vocational rehabilitation process by giving guidance that is based not on the commonly held low expectations around blindness, but instead on solid information and positive experience. Thank you.

A few years later, you helped to get funding for much needed technology upgrades at the Minnesota Academy for the Blind. This greatly enhanced the education, and therefore the opportunities, of many blind students.

During one of the recent sessions, you supported our efforts to strengthen the rights of blind parents under the law. This effort will help guarantee that decisions about the children of those parents are made on the basis of parenting skills and not on inaccurate stereotypes of blind people. We are still working to get our bill passed, but we are not giving up on this effort. When we are eventually successful, as we know we will be, we will remember that you were one of the earliest supporters.

The above examples are representative of your broader support for programs and laws that help blind people live meaningful lives by fully participating in society. Thank you very, very much for your help.

Sincerely,

Steve Jacobson, President