[Mn-at-large] Legislative Update for State Conventions

[David Andrews]

>
>Dear Legislative Directors:
>
>A couple of you have asked about our legislative 
>issues and status in preparation for your state 
>convention. In case others are interested, I 
>thought I might send this to the entire 
>listserv. I would first mention our two major 
>legislative accomplishments: Marrakesh and Space 
>Available. I would then mention three items 
>still in progress: Access Technology 
>Affordability Act, Accessible Instructional 
>Materials in Higher Education Act, and 
>Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful 
>Employment Act. Please see below for brief 
>details regarding each of the five pieces of legislation.
>
>Marrakesh Treaty to Facilitate Access to 
>Published Works for Persons who are Blind, 
>Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled:
>This treaty makes it easier to facilitate the 
>import and export of international accessible 
>format copies of books. The Resolution of Advice 
>and Consent was passed unanimously by the Senate 
>on June 28. On this date the Senate also 
>unanimously passed the implementing legislation 
>(Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act, S. 2559). 
>The bill was then unanimously passed by the 
>House of Representatives on September 25, and 
>signed into law by the President on October 9. 
>We hope that the United States government will 
>deposit the instrument of ratification for the 
>Marrakesh Treaty in Geneva sometime in mid-November.
>
>Space Available:
>This legislation makes is possible for veterans 
>with a service-connected permanent disability 
>rated as total to use the Space Available 
>program. The program allows active duty 
>military, veterans, and their families to fly 
>free on military chartered flights if space is 
>available. This legislation was signed into law 
>by the President on August 13 as part of the 
>National Defense Authorization Act.
>
>Access Technology Affordability Act:
>This bill would create a refundable tax credit, 
>in the amount of $2,500 for use over a 
>three-year period, for the purchase of 
>accessible technology for blind Americans. The 
>House bill, H.R. 1734, currently has 86 
>cosponsors. The Senate bill, S. 732, currently 
>has 13 cosponsors. For information on this 
>current initiative, please visit 
><https://nfb.org/access-technology-affordability-act>https://nfb.org/access-technology-affordability-act. 
>
>
>Accessible Instructional Materials in Higher Education Act:
>This bill would create a purpose-based 
>commission to construct a set of guidelines for 
>colleges and universities to use in the 
>procurement of accessible instructional 
>materials. The House bill, H.R. 1772, currently 
>has 83 cosponsors. The Senate bill, S. 2138, 
>currently has 5 cosponsors. For information on 
>this current initiative please visit 
><https://nfb.org/aimhighfactsheet>https://nfb.org/aimhighfactsheet.
>
>Transitioning to Integrated and Meaningful Employment Act:
>This bill would responsibly phase out the 
>payment of subminimum wages to persons with 
>disabilities over a six-year period. The bill is 
>only in the House as H.R. 1377, and currently 
>has 51 cosponsors. For information on this 
>current initiative please visit 
><https://nfb.org/fair-wages>https://nfb.org/fair-wages.
>
>If there is anything else that we can help you 
>with, please do not hesitate to contact me.
>
>Thanks,
>John
>
>John Paré
>(410) 659-9314 x 2218
>National Federation of the Blind
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: <http://nfbnet.org/pipermail/mn-at-large_nfbnet.org/attachments/20181027/61742aa2/attachment.html>