2002 Legislation
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HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 56 – Blind/visually hndcppd/techn access

HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 56

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Daily Data Tracking History



HCR056.........................................................by EDUCATION
BLIND/VISUALLY IMPAIRED - TECHNOLOGY - Stating findings of the Legislature
and urging state agencies to take certain action to ensure the blind and
visually impaired with nonvisual information technology access.
                                                                        
02/19    House intro - 1st rdg - to printing
02/20    Rpt prt - to Educ
02/27    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 2nd rdg
02/28    2nd rdg - to 3rd rdg
03/04    3rd rdg - ADOPTED - voice vote - to Senate
03/05    Senate intro - 1st rdg - to St Aff
03/11    Rpt out - rec d/p - to 10th Ord
03/12    10th ord - ADOPTED - voice vote
    Title apvd - to House
03/12    To enrol
03/13    Rpt enrol - Sp signed
    Pres signed
03/14    To Secretary of State

Bill Text


                                                                        
                                                                        
  ||||              LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF IDAHO             ||||
 Fifty-sixth Legislature                  Second Regular Session - 2002
                                                                        
                                                                        
                              IN THE HOUSE OF REPRESENTATIVES
                                                                        
                             HOUSE CONCURRENT RESOLUTION NO. 56
                                                                        
                                   BY EDUCATION COMMITTEE
                                                                        
  1                               A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
  2    STATING FINDINGS OF THE LEGISLATURE AND URGING STATE AGENCIES TO TAKE  CERTAIN
  3        ACTION  TO  ENSURE  THAT  THE  BLIND  AND VISUALLY IMPAIRED HAVE NONVISUAL
  4        INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACCESS.
                                                                        
  5    Be It Resolved by the Legislature of the State of Idaho:
                                                                        
  6        WHEREAS, technology has become an essential part of our daily life, creat-
  7    ing a need for all members of our society to become technologically  literate;
  8    and
  9        WHEREAS,  blind  and visually impaired individuals, as members of society,
 10    must have information technology access; and
 11        WHEREAS, on the federal level, Section 508 of the Rehabilitation  Act,  as
 12    amended  in  1998,  requires  federal  agencies and departments to ensure that
 13    their electronic and information technology is accessible to individuals  with
 14    disabilities, including blind and visually impaired persons; and
 15        WHEREAS,  a  number  of  states  have  enacted  similar  laws  focusing on
 16    nonvisual access for blind and visually impaired persons; and
 17        WHEREAS, the state of Idaho, through its  various  agencies,  should  also
 18    move  forward with the consideration and implementation of nonvisual access to
 19    information in purchasing and deploying information technology; and
 20        WHEREAS, the essential restriction of information technology to  a  visual
 21    format  is  a  barrier  to  equal opportunity and participation in society and
 22    imposes limitations on educational and employment opportunities for blind  and
 23    visually impaired individuals.
 24        NOW,  THEREFORE,  BE IT RESOLVED by the members of the Second Regular Ses-
 25    sion of the Fifty-sixth Idaho Legislature, the House  of  Representatives  and
 26    the  Senate  concurring therein, that all state agencies, under the leadership
 27    of the Department of Administration, are urged:
 28        (1)  To develop standards to ensure that blind and visually impaired indi-
 29    viduals have nonvisual access to information that is equivalent to  that  pro-
 30    vided and afforded to sighted persons;
 31        (2)  To  provide  all information in formats for both visual and nonvisual
 32    use;
 33        (3)  To purchase technology for the creation, storage, retrieval, or  dis-
 34    semination  of  information,  intended  for use by employees, program partici-
 35    pants, and members of the general public, that is accessible for  use  by  the
 36    blind and visually impaired; and
 37        (4)  To  purchase  technology  under  contracts  which  include technology
 38    access clauses, requiring compliance with established nonvisual  access  stan-
 39    dards.

Statement of Purpose / Fiscal Impact



                       STATEMENT OF PURPOSE
                            RS 12094

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 12094 is designed as a resolution to raise awareness of and
set direction 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 set direction for state agencies to establish non-visual
access standards. Similar legislation has been enacted in 9 other
states.

                          FISCAL IMPACT

There is no fiscal impact. This is enabling legislation for
technology. This legislation will provide direction to address
visually impaired technology needs.

     



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




STATEMENT OF PURPOSE/FISCAL NOTE                      HCR 56