Washington Set to Swear in First Blind Lieutenant Governor

OLYMPIA (AP) — As Washington state prepares to swear in its first blind lieutenant governor, the Senate has undergone a makeover that incorporates Braille into that

chamber's floor sessions.

On a recent day just weeks before the start of the legislative session that begins Monday, the desks of 49 senators got an upgrade: a system that will enable Lt. Gov.-elect Cyrus Habib to know by the touch of his finger which lawmaker is seeking to be recognized to speak.

Habib, a 35-year-old attorney who lost his eyesight to cancer at age 8, was first elected to the state House in 2012 and won a state Senate seat in 2014. In November he beat Republican Marty McClendon to replace Lt. Gov. Brad Owen, a Democrat who is retiring after holding the post since 1997.