Judge: Money Must Change To Aid Blind People

[Kadie]

Judge: Money Must Change To Aid Blind People
Government Must Make Bills Recognizable To Blind People

POSTED: 4:57 am PST November 29, 2006

WASHINGTON -- The government discriminates against blind people by printing money that all looks and feels the same, a federal judge said Tuesday in a ruling that could change the face of American currency.

U.S. District Judge James Robertson ordered the Treasury Department to come up with ways for the blind to tell bills apart. He said he wouldn't tell officials how to fix the problem, but he ordered them to begin working on it.

The American Council of the Blind has proposed several options, including printing bills of differing sizes, adding embossed dots or foil to the paper or using raised ink.

"Of the more than 180 countries that issue paper currency, only the United States prints bills that are identical in size and color in all their denominations," Robertson wrote. "More than 100 of the other issuers vary their bills in size according to denomination, and every other issuer includes at least some features that help the visually impaired."

Government attorneys argued that forcing the Treasury Department to change the size of the bills or add texture would make it harder to prevent counterfeiting. Robertson was not swayed.

more...
http://www.kcra.com/money/10419803/detail.html

[trotsky]

1. You wouldn't think that adding the amounts in Braille would be very tough.

Just put them on top of one of the corner amounts. Seems like something that's long overdue.

[donsu]

2. we had to fold the money in certain ways for my blind great aunt

so she could tell which bill was which

brail marks on money would be great