[UACCESS-L] Fwd: [coataccess] Accessible Information Technology and Web Bill in Minnesota with Implementation Funds Passed and Signed by the Governor

[Gregg Vanderheiden <gv@trace.wisc.edu>]

Accessible Information Technology and Web Bill in Minnesota (HF 1744 / SF 1600) Passed and Signed by the Governor on 5/21/09. The new law requires that the state adopt 508 Standards and Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) 2.0 Guidelines and establish an advisory committee that will make hardware, software, products and Websites accessible without causing an undue burden (too much cost- not technically feasible) to the state.

ARRA and Telecommunications Access Minnesota (TAM) Funds cover the $476,000 that goes to the Office of Enterprise Technology (OET) to coordinate the bill; and TAM funds alone go to $200,000 for MCDHH to make online state web content available in ASL; and $200,000 for the legislature to caption its live streaming of legislative sessions. We used definitions of “accessible” and “accessibility” that are defined in Section 508 and the Web Content Access Guidelines Checklist

To view the final language of this bill, click here. Thanks to Senator Rest and Representatives Hilty and Westrom. Thanks to the Commission of Deaf, Hard of Hearing and Deafblind Minnesotans board members for taking the lead. Thanks to Alicia Lane, Minnesota Association of Deaf Citizens; Christopher Bell, from American Council for the Blind; and Steve Jacobsen and Jennifer Dunnam from National Federation of the Blind for testifying. Thanks to our friends in Arkansas for all of their technical assistance and moral support.

 

Mary Hartnett

Executive Director

Commission of Deaf, DeafBlind and Hard of Hearing Minnesotans (MCDHH)

www.mncdhh.org

mary.hartnett@state.mn.us

1-800-627-3529 (tty)
651-431-5965 (voice)
651-431-7588 (fax)

63.231.241.115 (IP)