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</o:shapelayout></xml><![endif]--></head><body lang=EN-US link=blue vlink=purple style='word-wrap:break-word'><div class=WordSection1><p class=MsoNormal>For your information.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><p class=MsoNormal>Sincerely, <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Camille Tate <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>President, Melbourne Space Coast Chapter, National Federation of the Blind of Florida <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>2<sup>nd</sup> Vice President, National Federation of the Blind of Florida <o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Phone: 321 372 4899 <o:p></o:p></p></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><div><div style='border:none;border-top:solid #E1E1E1 1.0pt;padding:3.0pt 0in 0in 0in'><p class=MsoNormal><b>From:</b> NFBF-Leaders <nfbf-leaders-bounces@nfbnet.org> <b>On Behalf Of </b>Russell Davis via NFBF-Leaders<br><b>Sent:</b> Tuesday, January 18, 2022 10:23 PM<br><b>To:</b> nfbf-l@nfbnet.org; nfbf-leaders@nfbnet.org<br><b>Cc:</b> Russell Davis <russell@radiorusty.com><br><b>Subject:</b> [NFBF-Leaders] Fact Sheets for 2022 NFB Washington Seminar - 4 of 4 - 21st Century Websites and Applications Accessibility Act<o:p></o:p></p></div></div><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hello everyone,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>I learned that this previous sent email never made it out of my computer. I think I have corrected the outbox issues and am going to try and send this info to you again.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please forgive any duplicate emails with this subject and attachment.<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><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Russ<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Hello <span style='color:#1F497D'>again </span>everyone,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please see attached the <span style='color:#1F497D'>21<sup>st</sup> Century Websites and Applications Accessibility </span>Act fact sheet in Microsoft Word format.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>For your convenience, I’ve also pasted the text of the fact sheet to the bottom of this email.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Please take the time to review the fact sheet as it will provide you with valuable information about this bill.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Thanks so much for all you are doing to help move forward our mission and our legislative efforts.<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Respectfully,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><o:p> </o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Russ Davis,<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Legislative Director, National Federaton of the Blind of Florida<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Ph. 904-993-8433<o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal>Email: <a href="mailto:Russell@radiorusty.com">Russell@radiorusty.com</a><o:p></o:p></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><h1>TWENTY-FIRST CENTURY WEBSITES & APPLICATIONS ACCESSIBILITY ACT<o:p></o:p></h1><h2 style='margin-bottom:14.0pt'>Issue—Websites are required by law to be accessible, but without implementing regulations, most businesses and retailers have little understanding of what accessible means.<o:p></o:p></h2><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:23.4pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:6.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-autospace:none'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#ED1C24'>Websites and mobile applications are an essential part of modern living. </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>More than 313 million Americans use the internet,<a style='mso-endnote-id:edn1' href="#_edn1" name="_ednref1" title=""><sup>[i]</sup></a> and 81 percent of Americans say that they access the internet at least once each day.<a style='mso-endnote-id:edn2' href="#_edn2" name="_ednref2" title=""><span class=MsoEndnoteReference>[ii]</span></a> The need to access websites and mobile applications doesn’t stop when it reaches Americans with disabilities. According to the American Community Survey, conducted by the United States Census Bureau, there are approximately forty million Americans who currently have a disability.<a style='mso-endnote-id:edn3' href="#_edn3" name="_ednref3" title=""><span class=MsoEndnoteReference>[iii]</span></a> Based on the numbers above, it is more than reasonable to assume that the vast majority of them are trying to use websites and mobile applications. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:23.4pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:6.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:16.0pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:6.0pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-autospace:none'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#ED1C24'>The Department of Justice announced its intention to publish accessible website regulations more than a decade ago. </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>On July 26, 2010, the twentieth anniversary of the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), the government published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking to address website accessibility.<a style='mso-endnote-id:edn4' href="#_edn4" name="_ednref4" title=""><span class=MsoEndnoteReference>[iv]</span></a> After that initial announcement, no further action was taken to substantially advance website accessibility. Without regulations in place, blind and disabled Americans are not reliably able to electronically access businesses, apply for jobs, and work at places due to the barriers created by inaccessible websites and mobile applications.<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:.25in;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:4.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#ED1C24'>The past few years have seen a significant increase in the prevalence of<a name="_Hlk61020997"> so-called “click-by” lawsuits. </a></span></b><span style='mso-bookmark:_Hlk61020997'></span><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Accessibility is readily achievable, but many businesses that are required by law to make their websites accessible claim to have no clear-cut definition of what “accessible” actually means. Meanwhile, people with disabilities must cope with inaccessible websites. ADA Title III lawsuits, which include website accessibility suits, hit record numbers in 2019, topping 11,000 for the first time.<a style='mso-endnote-id:edn5' href="#_edn5" name="_ednref5" title=""><span class=MsoEndnoteReference>[v]</span></a> The number of lawsuits has been increasing steadily since 2013, when the figure was first tracked.<a style='mso-endnote-id:edn6' href="#_edn6" name="_ednref6" title=""><span class=MsoEndnoteReference>[vi]</span></a> Businesses yearn for a clear definition of accessibility standards and to be able to expand their potential customer pool to consumers they were not reaching before. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:8.05pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:5.95pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Calibri",sans-serif;color:black;mso-fareast-language:EN-US'><br clear=all style='page-break-before:always'></span><h2>Solution<span style='font-size:12.0pt'>—</span>Twenty-First Century Websites & Applications Accessibility Act will:<span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:8.05pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:5.95pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;text-autospace:none'><b><i><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></i></b></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:8.05pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:5.95pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-autospace:none'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#006699'>Direct the US Access Board to promulgate accessibility guidelines.</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#006699'> </span><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The US Access Board will have six months following the enactment of the legislation to issue a notice of proposed rulemaking regarding website and mobile application accessibility, then an additional six months to issue the final rule. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:8.05pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:5.95pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:8.05pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:5.95pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-autospace:none'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#006699'>Promulgate guidelines that strive to harmonize with Section 508 standards.</span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#006699'> </span><a name="_Hlk61021113"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>The Section 508 standards promulgated by the US Access Board on January 18, 2017, are established regulations for website and technology accessibility. </span></a><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Therefore, the guidelines promulgated by the Access Board should harmonize with these standards. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:8.05pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:5.95pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:8.05pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:5.95pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-autospace:none'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#006699'>Authorize the Department of Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission to investigate the accessibility of websites and mobile applications.</span></b><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt;color:#0066CC'> </span></b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Either of its own volition or via a logged complaint pertaining to inaccessibility, the Department of Justice and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission will have the authority to investigate accessibility concerns and commence civil action if necessary. <o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:8.05pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:5.95pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:10.0pt;color:#0066CC'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:17.0pt;color:#1F497D'>GOAL—END WEBSITE AND MOBILE APPLICATION INACCESSIBILITY<br>FOR BLIND AMERICANS.</span></b><b><span style='font-size:20.0pt;color:#1F497D'><o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:.05pt;margin-right:1.0pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;text-autospace:none'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><h2>Cosponsor the Twenty-First Century Websites & Applications Accessibility Act when introduced.<span style='font-size:16.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></h2><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>To cosponsor the Twenty-First Century Websites & Applications Accessibility Act in the Senate, contact:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:6.5pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:8.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Alisa Winchester, Legislative Correspondent for Senator Duckworth (D-IL)<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Phone: 202-224-2854<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='text-align:center'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Email: </span><a href="mailto:alisa_winchester@duckworth.senate.gov"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>alisa_winchester@duckworth.senate.gov</span></a><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><b><span style='font-size:10.0pt'><o:p> </o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:6.5pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:8.5pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;text-autospace:none'><b><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>For more information, contact:<o:p></o:p></span></b></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:53.35pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:55.55pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Jeff Kaloc, Government Affairs Specialist, National Federation of the Blind Phone: 410-659-9314, extension 2206<o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal align=center style='mso-margin-top-alt:0in;margin-right:6.5pt;margin-bottom:0in;margin-left:8.55pt;margin-bottom:.0001pt;mso-add-space:auto;text-align:center;text-autospace:none'><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>Email: </span><a href="mailto:jkaloc@nfb.org"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>jkaloc@nfb.org</span></a><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><br></span><a href="http://www.nfb.org/"><span style='font-size:12.0pt'>www.nfb.org</span></a><span style='font-size:12.0pt'><o:p></o:p></span></p><p class=MsoNormal><span style='color:#1F497D'><o:p> </o:p></span></p><div><p class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><br clear=all><o:p></o:p></span></p><div><div class=MsoNormal><span style='font-size:12.0pt;font-family:"Times New Roman",serif'><hr size=1 width="33%" align=left></span></div></div></div><div><p class=MsoNormal><br clear=all><o:p></o:p></p><div class=MsoNormal><hr size=1 width="33%" align=left></div></div></div><div style='mso-element:endnote-list'><br clear=all><hr align=left size=1 width="33%"><div style='mso-element:endnote' id=edn1><p class=MsoEndnoteText><a style='mso-endnote-id:edn1' href="#_ednref1" name="_edn1" title=""><span class=MsoEndnoteReference><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>[i]</span></span></a><span style='font-size:8.0pt'> Statista. “Countries with the highest number of internet users as of December 2019.” June 2020. </span><a href="https://www.statista.com/statistics/262966/number-of-internet-users-in-selected-countries/"><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>https://www.statista.com/statistics/262966/number-of-internet-users-in-selected-countries/</span></a><span style='font-size:8.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='mso-element:endnote' id=edn2><p class=MsoEndnoteText><a style='mso-endnote-id:edn2' href="#_ednref2" name="_edn2" title=""><span class=MsoEndnoteReference><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>[ii]</span></span></a><span style='font-size:8.0pt'> Andrew Perrin & Madhu Kumar. “About three-in-ten U.S. adults say they are ‘almost constantly’ online.” July 25, 2019. </span><a href="https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/07/25/americans-going-online-almost-constantly/"><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>https://www.pewresearch.org/fact-tank/2019/07/25/americans-going-online-almost-constantly/</span></a><span style='font-size:8.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='mso-element:endnote' id=edn3><p class=MsoEndnoteText><a style='mso-endnote-id:edn3' href="#_ednref3" name="_edn3" title=""><span class=MsoEndnoteReference><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>[iii]</span></span></a><span style='font-size:8.0pt'> United States Census Bureau, American Community Survey. “The number of non-institutionalized, male or female, all ages, all races, regardless of ethnicity, with all education levels in the United States reported a disability in 2018.” Compiled by Cornell University. </span><a href="https://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/acs.cfm?statistic=1"><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>https://www.disabilitystatistics.org/reports/acs.cfm?statistic=1</span></a><span style='font-size:8.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='mso-element:endnote' id=edn4><p class=MsoEndnoteText><a style='mso-endnote-id:edn4' href="#_ednref4" name="_edn4" title=""><span class=MsoEndnoteReference><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>[iv]</span></span></a><span style='font-size:8.0pt'> Federal Register. “Nondiscrimination on the Basis of Disability; Accessibility of Web Information and Services of State and Local Government Entities and Public Accommodations.” July 26, 2010. </span><a href="https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2010/07/26/2010-18334/nondiscrimination-on-the-basis-of-disability-accessibility-of-web-information-and-services-of-state"><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>https://www.federalregister.gov/documents/2010/07/26/2010-18334/nondiscrimination-on-the-basis-of-disability-accessibility-of-web-information-and-services-of-state</span></a><span style='font-size:8.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='mso-element:endnote' id=edn5><p class=MsoEndnoteText><a style='mso-endnote-id:edn5' href="#_ednref5" name="_edn5" title=""><span class=MsoEndnoteReference><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>[v]</span></span></a><span style='font-size:8.0pt'> Minh Vu, Kristina Launey, & Susan Ryan. “2019 Was Another Record-Breaking Year for Federal ADA Title III Lawsuits.” February 20, 2020. </span><a href="https://www.adatitleiii.com/2020/02/2019-was-another-record-breaking-year-for-federal-ada-title-iii-lawsuits/"><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>https://www.adatitleiii.com/2020/02/2019-was-another-record-breaking-year-for-federal-ada-title-iii-lawsuits/</span></a><span style='font-size:8.0pt'> <o:p></o:p></span></p></div><div style='mso-element:endnote' id=edn6><p class=MsoEndnoteText><a style='mso-endnote-id:edn6' href="#_ednref6" name="_edn6" title=""><span class=MsoEndnoteReference><span style='font-size:8.0pt'>[vi]</span></span></a><span style='font-size:8.0pt'> Ibid.</span></p></div></div></body></html>