Sen. John J. Cullerton

Filed: 3/13/2007

 

 


 

 


 
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1
AMENDMENT TO SENATE BILL 511

2     AMENDMENT NO. ______. Amend Senate Bill 511 by replacing
3 everything after the enacting clause with the following:
 
4     "Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the
5 Information Technology Accessibility Act.
 
6     Section 5. Findings; policy.
7     (a) The Legislature finds that:
8         (1) The advent of the information age throughout the
9     United States and around the world has resulted in dramatic
10     increases in the importance of information technology in
11     employment, education, and the receipt of services.
12         (2) While information technology is increasingly being
13     used as a means of providing information, communications,
14     and services, the State is not consistently or
15     cost-effectively ensuring that these technologies are
16     accessible to individuals with disabilities.

 

 

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1         (3) The lack of accessible information technology can
2     prevent individuals with disabilities from participating
3     on equal terms in crucial areas of life, such as education
4     and employment.
5         (4) Techniques and products exist that can ensure that
6     information technology can be made accessible to
7     individuals with disabilities in consistent and
8     cost-effective manners.
9         (5) By proactively addressing accessibility in its
10     information technology development and procurement
11     processes, the State can cost-effectively ensure that its
12     information technology will be accessible to individuals
13     with disabilities.
14     (b) It is the policy of the State of Illinois that
15 information technology developed, purchased, or provided by
16 the State is accessible to individuals with disabilities.
 
17     Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
18     "Accessibility" means the ability to receive, use, and
19 manipulate data and operate controls included in electronic and
20 information technology in a manner equivalent to that of
21 individuals who do not have disabilities.
22     "Electronic and information technology" means electronic
23 information, software, systems, and equipment used in the
24 creation, manipulation, storage, display, or transmission of
25 data, including internet and intranet systems, software

 

 

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1 applications, operating systems, video and multimedia,
2 telecommunications products, kiosks, information transaction
3 machines, copiers, printers, and desktop and portable
4 computers.
5     "Individuals with disabilities" means individuals with
6 impairments that limit their ability to use information
7 technology. This includes, but is not limited to, individuals
8 with low vision, blindness, hardness of hearing, deafness,
9 limited use of their hands, no use of their hands, or other
10 similar impairments.
11     "State entity" means the executive, legislative, and
12 judicial branches of State of Illinois, including its
13 departments, divisions, agencies, constitutional offices,
14 public bodies, public universities, and other
15 instrumentalities.
 
16     Section 15. Development of standards. Not later than 6
17 months after the effective date of this Act, the Department of
18 Human Services shall develop and publish accessibility
19 standards for electronic and information technology for State
20 entities. The Secretary of Human Services shall convene a
21 working group of appropriate State entity representatives,
22 stakeholders, and other appropriate individuals and officials
23 to advise and assist the Department in this process. The
24 standards shall address, at a minimum, the following:
25     (1) functional performance criteria and technical

 

 

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1 requirements for accessibility;
2     (2) recommendations for procurement language that can be
3 incorporated into existing State procurement processes to
4 ensure compliance with accessibility standards; and
5     (3) recommendations for planning, reporting, monitoring,
6 and enforcement of the accessibility standards by State
7 entities.
 
8     Section 20. Implementation of standards. Not later than 6
9 months after the development and publication of accessibility
10 standards by the Department of Human Services, the Director of
11 Central Management Services and each State entity shall review
12 the standards and make revisions to existing procurement or
13 development rules, policies, and procedures under their
14 control to incorporate the standards. The accessibility
15 standards shall apply to electronic and information technology
16 developed or procured by a State entity, or to substantial
17 modifications made to electronic and information technology by
18 a State entity, after the Department of Central Management
19 Services and other State entities incorporate the
20 accessibility standards into their procurement policies and
21 procedures. The accessibility standards shall not require (i)
22 the installation of specific accessibility-related software or
23 peripheral devices at a workstation of an employee who is not
24 an individual with a disability or (ii) equipment made
25 available for access at a location where the electronic and

 

 

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1 information technology is not customarily available to the
2 public.
 
3     Section 25. Review and amendment of standards. The
4 Department of Human Services shall, at a minimum review the
5 accessibility standards every 3 years after the date of initial
6 publication and, as appropriate, amend the standards to reflect
7 technological advances or changes in electronic and
8 information technology. The Secretary of Human Services may
9 convene a working group of appropriate State entity
10 representatives, stakeholders, and other appropriate
11 individuals and officials to advise and assist in the process
12 of reviewing and amending the standards. Within 6 months after
13 the publication by the Department of Human Services of
14 amendments to the standards, the Director of Central Management
15 Services and other State entities shall review the amended
16 standards and make any necessary changes to their existing
17 procurement policies and procedures to incorporate amendments
18 to the accessibility standards into their procurement policies
19 and procedures.
 
20     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
21 becoming law.".