[Nfbv-announce] Immediate Request - Call or Email Your State Senator and Delegate by Tuesday - Approve the governor's Substitute for HB 2296 Bank Web Site Accessibility

[Sarah Patnaude]

Hi Virginia Federationists,


 


We have great news to share and one more ask for this legislative session.


After many challenges, our advocacy efforts have paid off but we need one more step for each of you.


 


Background:


 


On February 23, the Virginia General Assembly passed HB 2296 which included both good and bad components


Barriers to Web Accessibility - A 120 day notice and cure delay to allow banks to fix their web accessibility challenges even though they currently are required to make them accessible. This is an effort to weaken the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) by pushing for change in each state legislature. Web Accessibility standards called Wc3AG 2.0


 


While both financial institutions and the disabled community like the web standards, the notice and cure provisions are really discriminatory.


 


After the bill passed, we appealed to Governor Northam to modify HB 2296 to eliminate the notice and cure provisions and just keep the web standards. Together with the Virginia Disability Law Center and the Centers for Independent Living, we met with the Governor’s policy advisors  on March 4. Earlier this week, the Governor put forth his Governor’s Substitute  which does exactly what we requested. It keeps the web standards and eliminates the Notification and cure provisions.


Yea!


The Governor’s Substitute is a huge victory but we need to support this legislation so it passes.


Your efforts to  advocate on this legislation were clearly heard in Richmond but the fight is not over until the proper bill is passed.


 


The General Assembly has 3 options:


Pass the Governor’s Substitute – A simple majority in both the Virginia House of Delegates and Virginia Senate is required for the Governor’s Substitute to become law.Override the Governor’s Amendment – The general assembly can override the Governor’s Substitute and pass the original bad legislation but a 2/3 majority is required in both the Virginia House of Delegates and the Virginia Senate.The General Assembly can choose to drop the bill entirely.


 


We need you to contact your Senator and Delegate via email or preferably phone call by Tuesday (4/2) at 3:00 PM.


A sample email / talking points are provided below.  Please use the sample, make it specific to you, and send it to your Senator and Delegate.


Phone calls may also be better because there are only a few items under consideration so the volume of calls will be low so each call will be more meaningful.


Be aware that financial institutions are a very powerful advocacy block and support for the original HB2296 was near the 2/3 majority.


 


 


                Please email your Senator and Delegate to state:


We support the Governor’s Substitute for HB 2296 which provides web accessibility standards for financial institutions without weakening protections for the disabled. We oppose the original HB2296 because it weakens protections for the disabled and tells banks to wait until the disabled complain about accessibility.


 


If you are not aware of the name of your Senator or Delegate, Here is an accessible website where you are able to easily obtain the name by simply typing your address.


 


https://www.richmondsunlight.com/yourlegislatures


 


 


Either click on this URL or copy it into your web browser.


 


We are grateful for your efforts and need you to take action this weekend or the beginning of the week to address this legislation before the Wednesday House and Senate vote. Here is some good language you may wish to use.  I suggest some slight word changes so we do not all sound the same.  Note that you can send the same language to each contacted member, as they will not share emails.  Below is the language. Please remember to include your name and address.


 


Sample email:


Subject: Support the governor’s Substitute for HB 2296


 


Hi, 


The disability community has strongly and uniformly opposed HB 2296.  The governor’s Substitute, containing accessibility standards only, is an acceptable compromise.  We support the Governor’s Substitute and oppose the original HB 2296.


Sincerely,