[Nfb-hi] SB 893 with Revisions
Milton Ota
mota at hawaii.rr.com
Wed Feb 23 16:49:16 UTC 2011
This is the version of the bill that will be considered at the Senate Ways
and Means Committee tomorrow, Thursday, February 24 at 9:00 AM
SB893 SD1 LRB 11-1764 PROPOSEDTHE SENATES.B. NO.893
TWENTY-SIXTH LEGISLATURE, 2011S.D. 1
STATE OF HAWAIIProposed
A BILL FOR AN ACT
RELATING TO INFORMATION ACCESS.
BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:
SECTION 1. Thousands of Hawaii residents experience disabilities such
as
visual impairments, dyslexia, and physical impairments that prevent them
from
directly accessing conventional print media. Many printed materials are
available through governmental and nonprofit agencies in accessible formats
such
as braille, large print, or audio recording. However, it is generally not
practical to provide time-sensitive information such as a local daily
newspaper
in these specialized formats. The legislature finds that even in a media
environment where information is frequently available in multiple formats
that
are both portable and widely accessible, telephone-based audible information
access remains an important service for many individuals.
SECTION 2. Chapter 348F, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended by adding
a
new section to be appropriately designated and to read as follows:
"§348F‑ Telephone-based access to time-sensitive print media.
(a) The
disability and communication access board shall ensure that a
telephone-based
audible information access service is available statewide to individuals
with
visual or other impairments that limit access to printed media.
(b) The board shall investigate the availability of experienced
providers
of quality telephone-based audible information access service and shall
award a
contract to provide this service to one or more providers that the board
determines to be best qualified. In reviewing the qualifications of any
provider or providers, the board shall consider the factors of cost, quality
of
services, experience, and any other factors that the board deems
appropriate.
(c) The board shall adopt rules pursuant to chapter 91 to administer a
telephone-based audible information access service, including establishing a
mechanism for providing ongoing funding for the service.
(d) As used in this section:
"Telephone-based audible information access service" means the delivery
of
current daily newspapers and other periodicals in audio format through a
telephone call to a local or toll-free telephone number."
SECTION 3. Notwithstanding any provision of section 138-3, Hawaii
Revised
Statutes, to the contrary, there is appropriated out of the wireless
enhanced
911 fund, the sum of $80,000 or so much thereof as may be necessary for
fiscal
year 2011-2012 and the same sum or so much thereof as may be necessary for
fiscal year 2012-2013 for deposit into the disability and communication
access
board special fund established pursuant to section 348F‑7, Hawaii
Revised
Statutes.
SECTION 4. There is appropriated out of the disability and
communication
access board special fund the sum of $80,000 or so much thereof as may be
necessary for fiscal year 2011-2012 and the same sum or so much thereof as
may
be necessary for fiscal year 2012-2013 for the purpose of establishing and
maintaining a telephone-based audible information access service.
The sums appropriated shall be expended by the disability and
communication
access board for the purposes of this Act; provided that the appropriations
authorized under this Act shall be expended on a contract for services with
the
Hawaii affiliate of a national organization that:
(1) Has affiliates in at least all fifty states; and
(2) Provides electronic services that provide blind, visually
impaired,
and print disabled persons with access to newspapers, magazines, and
television
listings twenty-four hours a day, seven days a week, by means of a touch
tone
telephone, the Internet, or by downloading the electronic information to a
digital talking book player or MP3 playing device.
SECTION 5. New statutory material is underscored.
SECTION 6. This Act shall take effect on July 1, 2011.
Report Title:
Telephone-based Audible Information Access Service; Disability and
Communication
Access Board; Appropriation
Description:
Directs the disability and communication access board to establish and
maintain
a telephone-based audible information access service to provide access to
daily
newspapers and other periodicals in an audio medium; makes appropriations
from
the wireless enhanced 911 fund to the disability and communication access
board
special fund to establish the information access service. (SD1 Proposed)
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