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1     AN ACT concerning information technology access.
 
2     Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
3 represented in the General Assembly:
 
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.
17         (3) The lack of accessible information technology can
18     prevent individuals with disabilities from participating
19     on equal terms in crucial areas of life, such as education
20     and employment.
21         (4) Techniques and products exist that can ensure that
22     information technology can be made accessible to
23     individuals with disabilities in consistent and

 

 

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1     cost-effective manners.
2         (5) By proactively addressing accessibility in its
3     information technology development and procurement
4     processes, the State can cost-effectively ensure that its
5     information technology will be accessible to individuals
6     with disabilities.
7     (b) It is the policy of the State of Illinois that
8 information technology developed, purchased, or provided by
9 the State is accessible to individuals with disabilities.
 
10     Section 10. Definitions. As used in this Act:
11     "Accessibility" means the ability to receive, use, and
12 manipulate data and operate controls included in electronic and
13 information technology in a manner equivalent to that of
14 individuals who do not have disabilities.
15     "Electronic and information technology" means electronic
16 information, software, systems, and equipment used in the
17 creation, manipulation, storage, display, or transmission of
18 data, including internet and intranet systems, software
19 applications, operating systems, video and multimedia,
20 telecommunications products, kiosks, information transaction
21 machines, copiers, printers, and desktop and portable
22 computers.
23     "Individuals with disabilities" means individuals with
24 impairments that limit their ability to use information
25 technology. This includes, but is not limited to, individuals

 

 

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1 with low vision, blindness, hardness of hearing, deafness,
2 limited use of their hands, no use of their hands, or other
3 similar impairments.
4     "State entity" means the executive, legislative, and
5 judicial branches of State of Illinois, including its
6 departments, divisions, agencies, constitutional offices,
7 public bodies, and public universities. The term does not
8 include units of local government, school districts, or
9 community colleges.
 
10     Section 15. Development of standards. Not later than 6
11 months after the effective date of this Act, the Department of
12 Human Services shall develop and publish accessibility
13 standards for electronic and information technology for State
14 entities. The Secretary of Human Services shall convene a
15 working group of appropriate State entity representatives,
16 stakeholders, and other appropriate individuals and officials
17 to advise and assist the Department in this process. The
18 standards shall address, at a minimum, the following:
19     (1) functional performance criteria and technical
20 requirements for accessibility;
21     (2) recommendations for procurement language that can be
22 incorporated into existing State procurement processes to
23 ensure compliance with accessibility standards; and
24     (3) recommendations for planning, reporting, monitoring,
25 and enforcement of the accessibility standards by State

 

 

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

 

 

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1 publication and, as appropriate, amend the standards to reflect
2 technological advances or changes in electronic and
3 information technology. The Secretary of Human Services may
4 convene a working group of appropriate State entity
5 representatives, stakeholders, and other appropriate
6 individuals and officials to advise and assist in the process
7 of reviewing and amending the standards. Within 6 months after
8 the publication by the Department of Human Services of
9 amendments to the standards, the Director of Central Management
10 Services and other State entities shall review the amended
11 standards and make any necessary changes to their existing
12 procurement policies and procedures to incorporate amendments
13 to the accessibility standards into their procurement policies
14 and procedures. The amended accessibility standards shall
15 apply to electronic and information technology developed or
16 procured by a State entity, or to substantial modifications
17 made to electronic and information technology by a State
18 entity, after the Department of Central Management Services and
19 other State entities incorporate the amended accessibility
20 standards into their procurement policies and procedures.
 
21     Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon
22 becoming law.