2001 Legislation
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HOUSE BILL NO. 355 – Visually impaired/technology access

HOUSE BILL NO. 355

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H0355......................................................by STATE AFFAIRS
VISUALLY IMPAIRED - INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY - Adds to existing law to
provide legislative findings; to provide standards for state purchases that
assure that technology applications provide access for the visually
impaired; to adopt procurement requirements; and to provide an exception.
                                                                        
03/08    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
03/09    Rpt prt - to Educ

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-sixth Legislature                  First Regular Session - 2001
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                                     HOUSE BILL NO. 355
                                                                        
                                 BY STATE AFFAIRS COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                                        AN ACT
  2    RELATING TO INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACCESS FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED; PROVIDING
  3        A STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE INTENT; AMENDING CHAPTER 54,  TITLE  67,  IDAHO
  4        CODE,  BY  THE ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION 67-5416, IDAHO CODE, TO PROVIDE A
  5        STATEMENT OF LEGISLATIVE POLICY; AMENDING  CHAPTER  54,  TITLE  67,  IDAHO
  6        CODE,  BY  THE  ADDITION  OF  A NEW SECTION 67-5417, IDAHO CODE, TO DEFINE
  7        TERMS; AMENDING CHAPTER 54, TITLE 67, IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW
  8        SECTION 67-5418, IDAHO CODE, TO ADOPT AN ASSURANCE  OF  NONVISUAL  ACCESS;
  9        AMENDING  CHAPTER  54, TITLE 67, IDAHO CODE, BY THE ADDITION OF A NEW SEC-
 10        TION 67-5419, IDAHO CODE,  TO  ADOPT  PROCUREMENT  REQUIREMENTS;  AMENDING
 11        CHAPTER  54,  TITLE  67,  IDAHO  CODE,  BY  THE  ADDITION OF A NEW SECTION
 12        67-5420, IDAHO CODE, TO ADOPT PROCEDURE FOR IMPLEMENTATION.
                                                                        
 13    Be It Enacted by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
 14        SECTION 1.  LEGISLATIVE INTENT. The Legislature finds and declares that:
 15        (1)  The advent of the information age throughout the  United  States  and
 16    around the world has resulted in lasting changes in information technology;
 17        (2)  Use  of  interactive  visual  display  terminals  by state and state-
 18    assisted organizations is becoming a widespread means of access for  employees
 19    and  the  public to obtain information available electronically, but nonvisual
 20    access, whether by speech, Braille or other appropriate means has  been  over-
 21    looked in purchasing and deploying the latest information technology;
 22        (3)  Presentation  of  electronic data solely in a visual format is a bar-
 23    rier to access by blind and visually  impaired  individuals,  preventing  them
 24    from  participating on equal terms in crucial areas of life, such as education
 25    and employment;
 26        (4)  Alternatives, including both software and hardware adaptations,  have
 27    been  created so that interactive control of computers and use of the informa-
 28    tion presented is possible by both visual and nonvisual means; and
 29        (5)  The goals of the state in obtaining and deploying the  most  advanced
 30    forms of information technology properly include universal access so that seg-
 31    ments  of  society  with particular needs, including individuals unable to use
 32    visual displays, will not be left out of the information age.
                                                                        
 33        SECTION 2.  That Chapter 54, Title 67, Idaho Code, be,  and  the  same  is
 34    hereby  amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
 35    ignated as Section 67-5416, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
                                                                        
 36        67-5416.  POLICY. It is the policy of the state of Idaho that all programs
 37    and activities which are supported in whole or in part by public  funds  shall
 38    be conducted in accordance with the following principles:
 39        (1)  Blind  and visually impaired individuals have the right to fully par-
 40    ticipate in the life of the state, including the use  of  advanced  technology
 41    which  is  provided  by  the  state or state-assisted organizations for use by
 42    employees, program participants and members of the general public; and
                                                                        
                                           2
                                                                        
  1        (2)  Technology purchased in whole or in part with funds provided  by  the
  2    state  to  be  used  for  the creation, storage, retrieval or dissemination of
  3    information and intended  for use by employees, program participants and  mem-
  4    bers  of  the  general  public  shall be accessible to and usable by blind and
  5    visually impaired individuals.
                                                                        
  6        SECTION 3.  That Chapter 54, Title 67, Idaho Code, be,  and  the  same  is
  7    hereby  amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
  8    ignated as Section 67-5417, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
                                                                        
  9        67-5417.  DEFINITIONS. In this act the following words have  the  meanings
 10    indicated:
 11        (1)  "Access"  means  the  ability to receive, use and manipulate data and
 12    operate controls included in information technology.
 13        (2)  "Blind or visually impaired individual" means an individual who:
 14        (a)  Has a visual acuity of 20/200 or less in the better eye with correct-
 15        ing lenses or has a limited field of vision so that the widest diameter of
 16        the visual field subtends an angle no greater than twenty (20) degrees;
 17        (b)  Has a medically indicated expectation of visual deterioration; or
 18        (c)  Has a medically  diagnosed  limitation  in  visual  functioning  that
 19        restricts  the  individual's  ability  to read and write standard print at
 20        levels expected of individuals of comparable ability.
 21        (3)  "Covered entity" means the state or any state-assisted organization.
 22        (4)  "Information technology" means all electronic information  processing
 23    hardware and software, including telecommunications.
 24        (5)  "Nonvisual"  means synthesized speech, Braille and other output meth-
 25    ods not requiring sight.
 26        (6)  "State" means the state or any of its departments,  agencies,  public
 27    bodies or other instrumentalities.
 28        (7)  "State-assisted  organization"  means  a college, nonprofit organiza-
 29    tion, person, political subdivision, school system or other  entity  supported
 30    in whole or in part by state funds.
 31        (8)  "Telecommunications"  means  the transmission of information, images,
 32    pictures, voice or data by radio, video or other electronic or impulse means.
                                                                        
 33        SECTION 4.  That Chapter 54, Title 67, Idaho Code, be,  and  the  same  is
 34    hereby  amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
 35    ignated as Section 67-5418, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
                                                                        
 36        67-5418.  ASSURANCE OF NONVISUAL ACCESS. In general, the head of each cov-
 37    ered entity shall ensure that information technology  equipment  and  software
 38    used by employees, program participants or members of the general public:
 39        (1)  Provides  blind or visually impaired individuals with access, includ-
 40    ing interactive use of the equipment and services, which is equivalent to that
 41    provided to individuals who are not blind or visually impaired;
 42        (2)  Is designed to present information, including prompts used for inter-
 43    active communications, in formats intended for both visual and nonvisual  use;
 44    and
 45        (3)  Has  been  purchased  under  a contract which includes the technology
 46    access clause required pursuant to section 67-5419, Idaho Code.
                                                                        
 47        SECTION 5.  That Chapter 54, Title 67, Idaho Code, be,  and  the  same  is
 48    hereby  amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
 49    ignated as Section 67-5419, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
                                                                        
                                           3
                                                                        
  1        67-5419.  PROCUREMENT REQUIREMENTS. (1) Technology access clause. A  tech-
  2    nology  access  clause  shall be developed by the department of administration
  3    and shall require compliance with nonvisual access  standards  established  by
  4    the state. The clause shall specify that the technology:
  5        (a)  Must be compatible with technology used for access by nonvisual means
  6        and  provide  for effective, interactive control and use of operating sys-
  7        tems, applications programs, and the  logical  organization  of  the  data
  8        format presented;
  9        (b)  Must permit use by nonvisual means when integrated into networks used
 10        to share communications among employees, program participants and the pub-
 11        lic; and
 12        (c)  Shall  be  obtained without modification for compatibility with soft-
 13        ware and hardware  used  for  nonvisual  access  whenever  technology  not
 14        requiring such modification is commercially available.
 15        (2)  Nonvisual  access  standards.  The  nonvisual access standards estab-
 16    lished by the state pursuant to subsection (1) of this section  shall  include
 17    such  specifications  as  are  necessary  to fulfill the assurances in section
 18    67-5418, Idaho Code, and the specifications in subsection (1) of this section.
 19        (3)  The head of a covered entity, with the approval of the department  of
 20    administration,  may  exclude  the technology access clause to the extent that
 21    the cost of such software or devices for the covered entity would increase the
 22    total cost of the procurement by more than five percent (5%).  All  exclusions
 23    of  the  technology  access  clause from any contract shall be reported to the
 24    presiding officers of the senate and the house of representatives annually.
                                                                        
 25        SECTION 6.  That Chapter 54, Title 67, Idaho Code, be,  and  the  same  is
 26    hereby  amended by the addition thereto of a NEW SECTION, to be known and des-
 27    ignated as Section 67-5420, Idaho Code, and to read as follows:
                                                                        
 28        67-5420.  IMPLEMENTATION. (1) Applicability.
 29        (a)  Except as provided in section 67-5419(3), Idaho Code, the  technology
 30        access  clause  shall  be included in all contracts for the procurement of
 31        information technology by or for the use of entities covered by  this  act
 32        on or after the effective date of this act.
 33        (b)  Nothing  in  this  section  requires  the installation of software or
 34        peripheral devices used for nonvisual access when individuals who are  not
 35        blind or visually impaired are using the information technology.
 36        (c)  Notwithstanding  the  provisions of paragraph (b) of this subsection,
 37        the applications programs and underlying operating systems, including  the
 38        format of the data, used for the manipulation and presentation of informa-
 39        tion  shall  permit the installation and effective use of nonvisual access
 40        software and peripheral devices.
 41        (2)  Existing systems. Compliance with this act in regard  to  information
 42    technology purchased prior to the effective date of this act shall be achieved
 43    at the time of procurement of an upgrade or replacement of the existing equip-
 44    ment or software.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact


                   STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                          RS11236
 
This legislation is intended to bring visually impaired 
individuals recognition and access to information technology by 
amending Chapter 54, Title 67 of the Idaho Code by the addition 
of several new sections.  

Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1998, as amended, 
requires federal agencies and departments to ensure that their 
electronic and information technology is accessible to individuals 
with disabilities.  Non-visual access has been virtually ignored in
deploying information technology.  

RS 10869 is designed to develop standards to ensure that visually 
impaired individuals have access to information that is equivalent 
to sighted persons, provide information in formats for both visual 
and non-visual use, and provide compliance with established non-visual
access standards.  Similar legislation has been enacted in 9 other 
states.
	



FISCAL IMPACT

This is enabling legislation for technology.  This legislation will 
provide direction to address the visual impaired needs. It is believed 
that the fiscal impact would be minimal.









Contact:

Name: Rep. Gary Young
      Larry Streeter (208/331-2998, 208/332-6914)
Phone:  208/332-1000




STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE	H 355