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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link="#0563C1" vlink="#954F72"><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>Hello all,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I am sorry to have to tell you that Ken Canterbery died on January 9 after a very long struggle with the complications of diabetes. Ken was a member of the Board of Directors in the 1990’s. He was one of the early presidents of the Baltimore County Chapter. Ken had great energy and spirit. He especially loved working on our Annapolis issues. Ken’s service will be at Prince of Peace Lutheran Church, <span class=xbe>8212 Philadelphia Rd, Rosedale, MD 21237 on Saturday, January 20. The family will receive visitors at 10:30 am and the service will begin at 11 am. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Below are the four issues that we will be discussing with legislators on January 18. If you are joining us, please let your chapter president know immediately so that we can count you in our various transportation plans. We will be letting you know about letters and hearings later, so please read these issues even if you can’t attend on the 18<sup>th</sup>. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='line-height:150%'>January 18, 2018<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%'><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%'>Maryland General Assembly<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center;line-height:150%'>Legislative Priorities for the 2018 Session<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><u>Table of Contents</u> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <u>Page<o:p></o:p></u></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Restoring the Secret Ballot to Disabled Voters 2<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'>Illustration of Voting Ballots 4<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-indent:.5in'> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> Suggested Letter to Chairman McManus 5 <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Establishing the Maryland Remote Access to Information Program (RAIP) 6<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>for Deaf-blind Individuals <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing>Strengthening Nonvisual Access Procurement Enforcement 9<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing>Appropriation for the Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Access (CENA) to 12<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing>Education, Public Information, and Commerce<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>To: Members of the Maryland General Assembly<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>From: Members of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Contact: Sharon Maneki, President<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>9013 Nelson Way<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>Columbia, MD 21045<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>Phone: 410-715-9596<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>Email: <a href="mailto:nfbmd@earthlink.net">nfbmd@earthlink.net</a><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-1.0in'><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-1.0in'><b>Subject: Restoring the Secret Ballot to Disabled Voters<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Date: January 18, 2018<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>THE PROBLEM</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Many blind and disabled voters must use the Election Systems and Software (ES&S) ExpressVote Ballot Marking Device (BMD) to cast their ballots. This machine produces a paper ballot that is smaller in size and different in content from the ballot that is hand marked by voters who do not need an accessible voting system. (Smaller ballot measures 4.24’’ x 14’’ with a 1.24’’ diagonal cut at top right corner; larger ballot measures 8.5’’ x 17’’. See illustration on page 3.) Primary election candidates in the 2016 election whose names appeared on the second or third screens of the BMD threatened legal action, complaining that navigating to these screens was too difficult. The State Board of Elections (SBE) responded to these complaints by severely limiting the use of the ExpressVote, by deploying only one of these devices to each polling place. SBE further limited the use of these machines by only requiring two voters per polling place to use the machine. Thus, in the 2016 elections, ballots cast by disabled voters were segregated and too easily identifiable in the overall collection of ballots. Therefore, ballots cast by disabled voters were no longer secret. SBE plans to use these same segregating and discriminating procedures during the 2018 primary and general elections. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal style='page-break-after:avoid'><b>PROPOSED ACTION<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='page-break-after:avoid'>The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland requests that each Delegate and Senator contact <span class=st>David J. McManus, Jr., Esq., Chairman of the State Board of Elections, to demand that SBE restore the secret ballot protection to disabled voters and end this practice of segregation by going back to its original plan to require at least 30 voters to use the ExpressVote BMD in each polling place. See attached sample letter. </span><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>BACKGROUND<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>Maryland Election Law Article §9-102(f)(1), Annotated Code of Maryland, states that a voting system selected and certified by the Maryland SBE shall "provide access to voters with disabilities that is equivalent to access afforded voters without disabilities without creating a segregated ballot for voters with disabilities." On December 18, 2013, the Attorney General of Maryland issued an opinion that states that if SBE chooses to certify an accessible ballot marking device that produces a ballot that is different in size and/or content from the hand-marked ballots, SBE “must establish randomized polling-place procedures to ensure that a significant number of non-disabled voters will use the accessible voting system to protect the secrecy of the ballots cast by voters with disabilities.” Requiring only two voters to use the ExpressVote BMD does not meet the definition of randomized polling procedures. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The experience of the 2016 primary and general elections demonstrated that all voters had little difficulty in navigating to multiple screens on the BMD. The fears of candidates that voters would not be able to vote for them were unfounded. Data from the 2016 elections demonstrated segregation because twelve counties had several precincts where only one voter used the ExpressVote BMD. The votes of these people were definitely identifiable. These jurisdictions were: Baltimore City, and Anne Arundel, Baltimore, Carroll, Cecil, Charles, Dorchester, Harford, Howard, Prince George’s, Washington and Wicomico Counties. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland and Disability Rights Maryland gave written and oral testimony to SBE concerning the need to protect the constitutional right of voters with disabilities to cast a secret ballot. We urged SBE to increase the use of the ExpressVote BMD for the 2018 elections. Seven Maryland county boards of elections also gave written and oral testimony to SBE, stating their need to have the flexibility to provide additional ExpressVote BMDs at the more heavily used polling places and at polling places with large senior populations. SBE turned a deaf ear to the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland, Disability Rights Maryland and these counties. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>CONCLUSION<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>Voters with disabilities are entitled to the same right to cast a secret ballot afforded to nondisabled voters. SBE should not be permitted to subvert the rights of disabled voters to the unfounded fears of candidates. The current plans for the 2018 elections violate the call for randomization procedures for both disabled and nondisabled voters to use the ExpressVote BMDs issued in the 2013 Attorney General’s opinion. The Maryland General Assembly must put a stop to this voting segregation and discrimination. Please urge SBE to set a goal of encouraging at least 30 voters to use the ExpressVote BMD in each polling place. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b>IILLUSTRATION OF BOTH SAMPLE BALLOTS, SIDE BY SIDE <o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b>SAMPLE LETTER TO CHAIRMAN MCMANUS<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please write to Chairman McManus to express your concern about the current voting procedures and the negative impact these will have on blind and disabled voters. (Please send me a copy to the cc: I have included at the bottom.) You may use as much of the following language as you deem necessary:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><span class=st>David J. McManus, Jr., Esq., Chairman<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><span class=st>State Board of Elections<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing>P.O. Box 6486<br>Annapolis, MD 21401-0486<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><a href="mailto:info.sbe@maryland.gov">info.sbe@maryland.gov</a><span class=st><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNoSpacing><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Dear Chairman McManus,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I understand that the Maryland State Board of Elections plans to instruct election judges to limit the use of the ExpressVote ballot marking device in the upcoming 2018 primary and general elections. Establishing the quota that two voters per polling place must use the ExpressVote ballot marking device has led to, and will continue to lead to, segregation and discrimination. Since disabled voters must use this machine and the ballot is different in size and content than the hand-marked ballot, their votes can be easily identified and will no longer be secret. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The strength of any democracy is measured by voter participation. Voter participation must be private and fair to all citizens. I strongly recommend that you revise your plans for the upcoming elections to increase the number of voters that should be encouraged to use the ExpressVote ballot marking device. Maryland should not be promoting segregation and discrimination in its voting system and should be guaranteeing that every voter can cast a secret ballot.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Sincerely,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>cc: Sharon Maneki <a href="mailto:nfbmd@earthlink.net">nfbmd@earthlink.net</a> or 9013 Nelson Way, Columbia, MD 21045<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><br clear=all style='page-break-before:always'></span><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>To: Members of the Maryland General Assembly<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>From: Members of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Contact: Sharon Maneki, President<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>9013 Nelson Way<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>Columbia, MD 21045<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>Phone: 410-715-9596<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>Email: <a href="mailto:nfbmd@earthlink.net">nfbmd@earthlink.net</a><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-1.0in'><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-1.0in'><b>Subject: Establishing the Maryland Remote Access to Information Program (RAIP) for Deaf-blind Individuals <o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Date: January 18, 2018<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>THE PROBLEM<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>Access to all types of information is the greatest obstacle to living a fruitful life faced by deaf-blind people today. They often remain isolated from family and friends, struggle to maintain independence and have difficulty in participating in all aspects of community life. Deaf-blind people need customized individualized services to overcome the barriers of dual sensory limitations. Maryland can reduce these barriers by putting new communications technology to work in serving the needs of deaf-blind citizens. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <b>PROPOSED ACTION<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-align:justify'>The Maryland General Assembly should adopt legislation to create the Remote Access Information Program (RAIP), to be located in the Department of Disabilities to test the advantages of using technology to assist deaf-blind people in reaching full participation in all aspects of community life. This program shall be funded by the Telecommunications Access of Maryland (TAM) within the Department of Information Technology. <br clear=all style='page-break-before:always'><b>BACKGROUND</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Deaf-blindness is a unique disability. Deaf-blind people use some of the techniques that blind people use and some techniques that deaf people use. However, they often need extra assistance to compensate for this dual sensory loss. Depending on the degrees of these limitations, deaf-blind individuals require customized, individualized services. Some communicate by using sign language while others use their voice. Some deaf-blind people acquire information by reading Braille while others read large print. In the most severe cases, individuals use manual deaf-blind fingerspelling. Regardless, they have the same desire for full participation in all aspects of community life as the rest of society. Many deaf-blind people do not achieve their goals for independence, education and employment because they cannot obtain the services they need. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The authors of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) recognized the need to ensure that hearing and speech impaired individuals, including the deaf-blind, have the right to gain information and to communicate through telecommunications. Title IV of the ADA outlines the services that these individuals must receive. Deaf-blindness has always been one of the categories of disabled people to be served under Title IV of the ADA. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Telecommunications Access of Maryland (TAM) is a state agency within the Maryland Department of Information Technology that oversees all Maryland Relay services and programs, including the Maryland Accessible Telecommunications (MAT) program. MAT distributes telecommunications equipment needed by deaf-blind people to independently make or receive phone calls. Since the inception of Maryland Relay in 1991, deaf-blind individuals have been served in both the Relay and equipment distribution programs. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Communications and access to information have increased dramatically with the invention of the smartphone. Smartphones offer greater opportunities for deaf-blind people both to obtain information and enhance their ability to communicate with others. The use of a smartphone is not just limited to voice communication. For instance, people can use the smartphone to read or listen to text. Not only can smartphones be used to take pictures, but these pictures can then be transmitted to other smartphones or to computers. By judiciously linking a pair of camera-mounted eyeglasses and a smartphone, a deaf-blind person may take a picture of her environment, relay that picture to a human assistant located anywhere, and receive an accurate verbal or text description of the environment from that human assistant. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><i>It is time for Maryland to provide the advantages of remote access information technology to its deaf-blind citizens.<o:p></o:p></i></p><b><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><br clear=all style='page-break-before:always'></span></b><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>ADVANTAGES OF THE RAIP<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>Services to deaf-blind children and adults in Maryland are very limited. The meager services that do exist are fragmented and not available statewide. The use of remote access information technology will allow the state of Maryland to serve more of its deaf-blind population. Personal assistants who are available to provide information to deaf-blind people in a local area will be able to serve a greater number of deaf-blind people in a larger area. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>A second advantage is the greater flexibility of service delivery. For example, some deaf-blind people use a personal assistant to accomplish everyday essential tasks such as buying groceries. If an emergency occurs, a remote personal assistant would be able to meet this need more quickly because such service is on-demand. If a deaf-blind person wants to attend a job fair, but no one is available to physically accompany her, then the remote assistant could help by reading the signs for the various booths and describing other environmental information as she walks through the fair. This display of independence will make a great selling point to potential employers. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <b>CONCLUSION<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>Deaf-blind individuals can be productive members of society if they receive the quantity and quality of services that they need to overcome the barriers created by their dual sensory limitations. Remote access technology should be considered as a method to decrease the large information gap experienced by deaf-blind people. Telecommunications Access of Maryland already has the responsibility to provide access to information for deaf-blind people. Therefore, they should take advantage of the advancements that remote access technology offers. <o:p></o:p></p><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><br clear=all style='page-break-before:always'></span><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>To: Members of the Maryland General Assembly<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>From: Members of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Contact: Sharon Maneki, President<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>9013 Nelson Way<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>Columbia, MD 21045<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>Phone: 410-715-9596<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>Email: <a href="mailto:nfbmd@earthlink.net">nfbmd@earthlink.net</a><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-1.0in'><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-1.0in'><b>Subject: Strengthening Nonvisual Access Procurement Enforcement<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Date: January 18, 2018<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>THE PROBLEM</b><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Maryland has excellent laws that require state government agencies to make information and communication technology (ICT), and technology services, such as websites, accessible to the blind. Unfortunately, these laws are poorly enforced and sometimes completely ignored. Consequently, blind citizens are denied access to information that is available to the rest of the public. Blind state employees are often ineffective at their jobs because they do not have nonvisual accessible tools to do their work.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal> <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>PROPOSED ACTION<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>In 1998 and 2000, the General Assembly enacted legislation to incorporate nonvisual access requirements into the procurement process. The Maryland General Assembly should now strengthen these laws by enacting the “Nonvisual Access Cost-Savings Act” of 2018. This proposed legislation establishes penalties for noncompliance by vendors, thus saving taxpayer money, and will update the 2000 law to reflect changes in current technology. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>BACKGROUND<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>Blind people can use special screen reading devices that enable them to read data and fill out forms by using synthetic speech or Braille output devices. These screen reading devices will work only if the websites, document formats, or other hardware and software are designed to accommodate nonvisual access. The methods for nonvisual access are well known and well documented. The first publicly available accessibility guidelines were published in 1995 and have been updated periodically. Yet, the problem of nonvisual access remains unresolved in Maryland and elsewhere.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>The executive branch of Maryland state government continues to discriminate against blind citizens by denying us access to public information and services. This discrimination persists even though there are specific state and federal laws requiring access for all citizens. These laws have been in effect for decades. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>When the state of Maryland solicits bids from vendors, it requires the products in question to include nonvisual access. The concept used in state and federal laws of placing nonvisual access requirements in the procurement process is a good one. It is cost-effective for vendors to incorporate nonvisual access during the design phase of the product rather than having to go back later and redesign the product. Why then does the problem of nonvisual access remain? <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>CONTRACT ENFORCEMENT AND SAVINGS<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>The proposed legislation should include the following provisions for contract enforcement and the payment of penalties which will result in net savings to Maryland state government:<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraph><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:105%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;line-height:105%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The present procurement law includes no consequences for a vendor’s failure to provide nonvisual access. <o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><p class=MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:105%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:105%'>Currently, a vendor has no incentive to comply with procurement accessibility requirements. Strengthening the procurement law by providing for vendor penalties will demonstrate the importance of the requirement to the vendor. Charging any vendor to remediate the product so it contains nonvisual access components will also save money for the state. The following two reasonable requirements will not have a detrimental impact on the vendor, but will ensure enforcement of the contract and achieve the goal of nonvisual access. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraphCxSpLast><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:105%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><ol style='margin-top:0in' start=1 type=1><li class=MsoNormalCxSpFirst style='margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:.25in;mso-add-space:auto;line-height:105%;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Requiring that all state contracts with any vendor shall include a provision that, upon a determination within eighteen months from procurement or latest upgrade, if any access barriers are present, the Department of Information Technology (DOIT) shall notify that vendor of such access barriers, and that vendor shall be required to remediate those barriers.<o:p></o:p></span></li></ol><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in'><o:p> </o:p></p><ol style='margin-top:0in' start=2 type=1><li class=MsoNormalCxSpMiddle style='margin-bottom:8.0pt;margin-left:.25in;mso-add-space:auto;line-height:105%;mso-list:l1 level1 lfo2'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Requiring the DOIT to notify a vendor of the access barrier in writing at the vendor’s place of business, and requiring that vendor, at its own expense, to remedy the defect. Should that vendor fail to remediate the access barrier within twelve months from the date of notice, a civil penalty shall be applied at the rate of 1% of the total purchase price of the contract for each day until the problem is remediated, or until the full price of the contract is refunded. <o:p></o:p></span></li></ol><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst style='margin-left:.75in;mso-add-space:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:105%'>No vendor should object to this requirement because it has a year to fix the problem before any penalty is invoked. Placing a cap on the penalty that is the price of the contract, is fair to the vendor while helping the state to recoup its losses. In the long run such a penalty will allow full enforcement of the contract while saving the state money.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraphCxSpLast style='margin-left:.75in;mso-add-space:auto'><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:105%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><ul style='margin-top:0in' type=disc><li class=MsoNormal style='margin-bottom:8.0pt;mso-add-space:auto;line-height:105%;mso-list:l0 level1 lfo1'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The procurement law needs to be updated to accommodate changes in technology. <o:p></o:p></span></li></ul><p class=MsoListParagraphCxSpFirst><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:105%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:105%'>Technology has improved and changed dramatically since the nonvisual access requirements in the procurement law were enacted in 2000. During these eighteen years, technologies have become more powerful and cheaper. For example, instead of buying a desktop system for thousands of dollars, an iPad Pro can be purchased for $600. Currently, the procurement law allows a vendor to ask for an exemption to the nonvisual access requirement if adding the accessibility features would cost an additional 5%. Since it is cheaper to produce technology, the limit of this exemption is too low. Raising the exemption to 15% would be a more reasonable reflection of the actual accessibility cost, and it is still fair to the vendor. Raising the exemption to 15% will close the floodgates that currently permit vendors to opt out of accessibility requirements. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraphCxSpMiddle><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:105%'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoListParagraphCxSpLast><span style='font-size:11.0pt;line-height:105%'>The state of Maryland adopted the federal government’s Section 508 Nonvisual Accessibility standard as its standard of operation. Since the federal government has recently updated this standard, the state of Maryland should adopt the new updated standard by January 1, 2019. This new standard should apply to all future technologies to be purchased by the state of Maryland. Any implemented technology that is compliant with the old standard should be “grandfathered in.” This is a reasonable timeline because the new standard already exists. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>CONCLUSION<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>The proposed legislation should not discourage vendors from bidding on state procurement contracts for information technologies. The components for nonvisual access are readily available and relatively inexpensive to acquire. What vendors must understand is that there is a “right way” and a “wrong way” to implement these components. Without careful thought, integrating nonvisual access into the overall design of a system for information technology can be disastrous. However, finding the “right way” does not require a stroke of genius or an immense amount of work. Vendors now have an inordinate amount of prior successful experiences which they can adapt to fit their needs. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Nonvisual access to public information provided by the state of Maryland should be improving because the knowledge and tools now exist to provide greater access. According to state and federal laws, Maryland is not supposed to purchase information and communication technology products or services that are not accessible to the blind. Blind citizens do not currently have the same access to information as the rest of the general public, because Maryland does not enforce its laws. Maryland should be a model employer of persons with disabilities. However, Maryland ignores the accessibility laws and blind workers do not have the tools to perform their jobs efficiently. The state of Maryland should receive the nonvisual access that it has already paid for. It is time to strengthen the procurement law to ensure that nonvisual access becomes a reality. <o:p></o:p></p><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><br clear=all style='page-break-before:always'></span><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>To: Members of the Maryland General Assembly<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>From: Members of the National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Contact: Sharon Maneki, President<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>9013 Nelson Way<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>Columbia, MD 21045<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>Phone: 410-715-9596<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b>Email: <a href="mailto:nfbmd@earthlink.net">nfbmd@earthlink.net</a><o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:.5in;text-indent:.5in'><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='margin-left:1.0in;text-indent:-1.0in'><b>Subject: Appropriation for the Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Access (CENA) to Education, Public Information, and Commerce<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>Date: January 18, 2018<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>PROPOSED ACTION<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>The Maryland General Assembly should keep the $250,000 appropriation in the Governor’s Budget for the CENA to Education, Public Information, and Commerce. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>BACKGROUND<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>In 2014, the National Federation of the Blind (NFB) founded the NFB Center of Excellence in Nonvisual Access (CENA). The CENA is a center of expertise, best practices, and resources that enables business, government, and educational institutions to more effectively provide accessible information and services to blind citizens. The State of Maryland, through the Maryland Department of Disabilities (MDOD), partners with the CENA to support a series of projects under the Nonvisual Accessibility Initiative (NVAI) with an aim to establish Maryland as a leader in nonvisual accessibility. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>NEW PROJECTS<o:p></o:p></b></p><h2><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Accessibility Inclusion Fellowships<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal>The “Final Report of the Study on Accessibility Concepts in Computer Science, Information Systems and Information Technology Programs in Higher Education,” was submitted to the governor and to the General Assembly on August 8, 2017. This report recommended that three annual fellowships be awarded to instructors that include accessibility concepts within at least one course offering in their institution. The NFB will administer and coordinate the Accessibility Inclusion Fellowship program.<span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><h2><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Accessibility Hackathon<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal>The NFB will coordinate and host a multi-day hackathon (a forum where groups of individuals come together for creative problem solving) focused on accessibility and consisting of coding projects, innovative integration of assistive technologies, and accessibility policy. The goal of the Accessibility Hackathon is to provide an opportunity for the community of individuals committed to accessibility to learn new strategies and techniques, while fostering innovation. <span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>CONTINUING INITIATIVES<o:p></o:p></b></p><h2><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Enhancement of the Accessible Academic EBook Program<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal>The HathiTrust is a consortium of institutions offering more than eleven million titles digitized from around the world. The NFB will build on the information gathered from the initial pilot project to determine how to expand and better deliver the content offered through the HTDC (HathiTrust Digital Consortium). We will explore partnerships toward the development of policies and standards that will allow the sharing of this content.<a name="OLE_LINK4"></a><a name="OLE_LINK3"><span style='mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK4'> </span></a><span style='mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK3'><span style='mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK4'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></span></span></p><span style='mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK4'></span><span style='mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK3'></span><h2><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Accessibility Boutiques and Training Seminars <o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal>The NVAI has contributed to a number of informal accessibility-specific boutiques and training seminars. The boutiques are several hours long and are open to the public at no cost to Maryland citizens. The larger training seminars are more intensive and can take place over several days. <a name="OLE_LINK9">The intended impact is to increase accessibility awareness and the knowledge of educators, government administrators, businesses, and others about the tools and training they can use to better provide nonvisual access to their programs and services. </a><span style='mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK9'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><span style='mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK9'></span><h2><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>Accessibility Switchboard<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal><a name="OLE_LINK16">The Accessibility Switchboard is a dynamic online accessibility portal that provides up-to-date information to consumers about accessible websites, emerging technology, and frequently encountered accessibility problems/solutions; and also provides information specific to government, corporate, and educational institutions on building accessible websites. The NFB will continue the development of this resource. </a><span style='mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK16'><span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></span></p><span style='mso-bookmark:OLE_LINK16'></span><h2><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p> </o:p></span></h2><h2><span style='font-size:11.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>WayFinding Technology<o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal>Emerging nonvisual access navigation or wayfinding technologies offer orientation and information solutions to a variety of public and commercial venues, including public transportation information. As Maryland reinvests in its infrastructure the time is right to ensure nonvisual access to public spaces for its diverse populace by implementing the use of nonvisual wayfinding technologies. In FY2019, we will be assisting with the installation of preferred wayfinding solutions in a variety of public spaces.<span style='font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><o:p> </o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal><b>CONCLUSION<o:p></o:p></b></p><p class=MsoNormal>Access to information remains one of the greatest barriers faced by blind persons. To reduce these barriers the National Federation of the Blind established the CENA to provide information about best practices and to develop innovative techniques for achieving nonvisual access. The Maryland General Assembly should allow this state-of-the-art program to continue by approving the $250,000 appropriation in the Governor’s Budget under the Maryland Department of Disabilities. <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Sharon Maneki, </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>410-715-9596<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back</span>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Sharon Maneki, </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>President<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal>National Federation of the Blind of Maryland<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>410-715-9596<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'>The National Federation of the Blind of Maryland knows that blindness is not the characteristic that defines you or your future. Every day we raise the expectations of blind people, because low expectations create obstacles between blind people and our dreams. You can live the life you want; blindness is not what holds you back</span>.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p></div></body></html>