Thanks for your patience.
Yes it's all still the case. When there is no running it may indeed look strange when line 1 is blank. But the information that conveys to the braille reader is much more important than how looks. The purpose of blank lines for the braille reader is not appearance, but to provide information about changes in formatting or context WHEREVER such a change takes place. The information is given to the reader at the location where it takes places place or goes into effect.
if there's no RH, line 1 can be blank. Blank line required after closing box. If the closing box line is on line 25, the next available line to be blank is line 1 on the next page because box lines are preceded and followed by a blank line, with the exception of certain headings, but that doesn't apply here.
Lists work in a similiar way, with specific provisions. See Formats 8.3.4
BF 8.3.4. Lists Starting at the Top of Braille Pages
A list can start on line 1 when a running head is not used, [u]if there are two or more blank lines at the bottom of the previous page.[/u] Start the list on line 2 when [u]braille is on the last, or next-to-last line of the previous page.[/u] (I have added the bold and the underlining.)
So if your list ends on line 24 OR line 25, line 1 is blank on the next page. Notice that this guideline about lists specifies when braille must start on line 1 of the next page and when braille must start on line 2 (leaving line 1 blank).
And yes it looks funny. But when you get used to it, it looks better.
--Joanna