SB2517 93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY

LRB093 17930 JAM 43613 b

93RD GENERAL ASSEMBLY
State of Illinois
2003 and 2004
SB2517

Introduced 2/3/2004, by John J. Cullerton

SYNOPSIS AS INTRODUCED:

New Act
30 ILCS 105/5.625 new

Creates the Accessible Electronic Information Act. Requires the Secretary of State, as the State Librarian, to develop and implement a program of grants to qualified entities to make newspapers and other time-sensitive printed material available to the blind and disabled in accessible formats produced on a multi-state basis through computer and telecommunication technology. Funds the grants through a surcharge established by the Illinois Commerce Commission on local exchange telecommunications company subscribers. Amends the State Finance Act to create the necessary special fund. Effective immediately.

FISCAL NOTE ACT MAY APPLY

A BILL FOR

AN ACT concerning accessible electronic information.

Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois, represented in the General Assembly:

Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the Accessible Electronic Information Act.

Section 5. Legislative findings. The Legislature finds and declares all of the following:

(a) Thousands of citizens in this State have disabilities (including blindness or visual impairment) that prevent them from using conventional print material.

(b) The State fulfills an important responsibility by providing books and magazines prepared in Braille, audio, and large-type formats made available to eligible blind and disabled persons.

(c) The technology, transcription methods, and means of distribution used for these materials are labor-intensive and cannot support rapid dissemination to individuals in rural and urban areas throughout the State.

(d) Lack of direct and prompt access to information included in newspapers, magazines, newsletters, schedules, announcements, and other time-sensitive materials limits educational opportunities, literacy, and full participation in society by blind and disabled persons.

Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:

"Accessible electronic information service" means news and other timely information (including newspapers) provided to eligible individuals from a multi-state service center, using high-speed computers and telecommunications technology for interstate acquisition of content and rapid distribution in a form appropriate for use by such individuals.

"Blind and disabled persons" means those individuals who are eligible for library loan services through the Library of Congress and the State Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped pursuant to 36 CFR 701.10(b).

"Director" means the State Librarian.

"Qualified entity" means an agency, instrumentality, or political subdivision of the State or a nonprofit organization that:

(1) provides interstate access for eligible persons to read daily newspapers by producing audio editions by computer; and

(2) provides a means of program administration and reader registration on the Internet.

Section 15. Accessible electronic information service program. The Director by rule shall develop and implement a program of grants to qualified entities for the provision of accessible electronic information service to blind and disabled persons throughout Illinois. The grants shall be funded through appropriations from the Accessible Electronic Information Service Fund established in Section 20.

Section 20. Accessible Electronic Information Service Fund.

(a) In order to support the program described in Section 15, the Illinois Commerce Commission shall require all local exchange telecommunications companies to impose a periodic surcharge on bills rendered to all local exchange telecommunications company subscribers.

(b) The Illinois Commerce Commission, in consultation with the Director, shall annually determine the amount of the surcharge based on the amount of funding necessary to support the program described in Section 15.

(c) The amount of the surcharge may be computed as a portion of any other surcharge required under existing law, order, or regulation but shall not increase such surcharge by more than one cent per line per month.

(d) Local exchange telecommunications companies shall remit the amount received from the surcharge to the Director less any amount allowed for administration, in accordance with a schedule determined by the Illinois Commerce Commission in consultation with the Director. The amounts remitted shall be deposited into the Accessible Electronic Information Service Fund, a special fund created in the State treasury that may be appropriated only for the purposes of this Act.

Section 90. The State Finance Act is amended by adding Section 5.625 as follows:

(30 ILCS 105/5.625 new)

Sec. 5.625. The Accessible Electronic Information Service Fund.

Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon becoming law.