11-30-06, 3:24 p.m.

In the culmination of a four year legal battle, a federal judge has ruled that the US government discriminates against blind and visually impaired persons by issuing currency that looks and feels the same.

US District Judge James Robertson in Washington, DC ordered the Treasury Department to come up with mechanisms for blind individuals to be able to distinguish between bills. Judge Robertson's order followed a protracted legal fight waged by the American Council of the Blind (ACB), which alleged the Treasury Department was in violation of Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, a federal law which prohibits discrimination against persons with disabilities by programs that are funded by the federal government. This includes all executive level government agencies.

“This is a major milestone for the blind and visually impaired of America,” said Melanie Brunson, Executive Director of the ACB in a press release issued by ACB. 'The ability to handle a persons financial affairs INDEPENDENTLY, and in private, is an essential part of being a productive member of society,' she said.

Judge Robertson said in his decision that of the 180 nations that print paper currency, the United States is the only nation that makes no effort to make its currency accessible by blind and visually impaired individuals. The Judge used this as a basis for rejecting contentions by Treasury Department attorneys that changes to make currency accessible for blind and visually impaired persons might create an environment that would benefit counterfeiters.

'It is just frankly unfair that blind people should have to rely on the good faith of people...in knowing whether they've been given the correct change,' ACB legal counsel Jeffrey Lovitky said in comments quoted by the Associated Press.

The government has 10 days to appeal Judge Robertson's ruling, and an appeal is expected.