[Nfbc-info] FYI FW: [Nfbnet-members-list] National Federation of the Blind Condemns Delay of Web Accessibility Regulations

[Michael Hingson]

For those who might have not seen this announcement: 

 

 

Best Regards,

 

 

Michael Hingson

 

From: Nfbnet-members-list [mailto:nfbnet-members-list-bounces at nfbnet.org] On
Behalf Of Danielsen, Chris via Nfbnet-members-list
Sent: Friday, April 29, 2016 1:26 PM
To: nfbnet-members-list at nfbnet.org
Subject: [Nfbnet-members-list] National Federation of the Blind Condemns
Delay of Web Accessibility Regulations

 

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
 
Contact:
Chris Danielsen
Director of Public Relations
National Federation of the Blind 
(410) 659-9314, extension 2330
(410) 262-1281 (cell)
cdanielsen at nfb.org <mailto:cdanielsen at nfb.org> 
 
National Federation of the Blind Condemns Delay of Web Accessibility
Regulations
 
Baltimore, Maryland (April 29, 2016): The National Federation of the Blind
<http://www.nfb.org/> , the nation's leading advocate for equal access by
the blind to information and technology, today condemned the announcement
<http://www.ada.gov/regs2016/sanprm_statement.html>  by the United States
Department of Justice (DOJ) that it will further delay issuing regulations
under Title II of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and instead seek
further comments from the public on what those regulations should contain.
The original Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking expressing the intent to
issue regulations was published on July 26, 2010. At that time, President
Obama said that the regulations would be "the most important updates to the
ADA since its original enactment." This is the DOJ's second recent
announcement
<http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/civil-rights/266943-inequality-and-i
ndifference>  of a delay relating to the issuance of ADA regulations on
internet access.
 
Mark A. Riccobono <https://nfb.org/mark-riccobono-bio> , President of the
National Federation of the Blind, said: "This deplorable announcement by the
Department of Justice is another example of inexcusable foot-dragging on the
issue of web accessibility, which is critical to the education, employment,
and daily life of blind Americans. Delaying the equal access of the blind to
American society by failing to provide clarity in technology accessibility
is inconsistent with the administration's goal of full participation by
people with disabilities. This failure also puts public entities seeking
clear guidance on how to meet their obligations to consumers and
constituents with disabilities at a severe disadvantage, with no direction
on how to comply with the Americans with Disabilities Act in the provision
of information and services over the internet. The questions that DOJ raises
in the Supplemental Advanced Notice of Proposed Rulemaking did not newly
arise in the six years since the original Advanced Notice of Proposed
Rulemaking, nor is the continuing evolution of technology an excuse for
revisiting them. The National Federation of the Blind unequivocally condemns
today's action and urges the administration to issue proposed rules with
regard to equal access under Titles II and III of the Americans with
Disabilities Act without further delay. We further urge all political and
civic leaders to join with us in calling on this administration to fulfill
the promise made and bring clarity to the accessibility of public
information, commerce, and education in the twenty-first century. Let's
#UploadTheRegs
<https://nfb.org/blog/vonb-blog/time-white-house-upload-internet-regs> ."
 
###
 
About the National Federation of the Blind
 
The National Federation of the Blind 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.
 

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