Bill Text: HI SR5 | 2024 | Regular Session | Introduced

Hawaii Senate Resolution 5

Introduced

Bill Title: Urging The Prompt Implementation Of The Hawaii Electronic Information Technology Accessibility Act On Or Before December 31, 2024.

Spectrum: Partisan Bill (Democrat 3-0)

Status: (Passed) 2024-04-04 - Report and Resolution Adopted. [SR5 Detail]

Download: Hawaii-2024-SR5-Introduced.html

THE SENATE	S.R. NO.	5
THIRTY-SECOND LEGISLATURE, 2024
STATE OF HAWAII

SENATE RESOLUTION

URGING THE PROMPT IMPLEMENTATION OF THE HAWAII ELECTRONIC INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACCESSIBILITY ACT ON OR BEFORE DECEMBER 31, 2024.

WHEREAS, Act 172, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, known as the "Hawaii Electronic Information Technology Accessibility Act," (Act 172), was signed into law on June 27, 2022, with the goal of making all electronic information technology developed, purchased, used, or provided by state entities accessible to persons with disabilities; and

WHEREAS, Act 172 requires the Office of Enterprise Technology Services, in consultation with the Disability and Communication Access Board and a working group composed of stakeholders, to develop and publish electronic information technology accessibility standards to be implemented by all state entities; and

WHEREAS, these standards are to be consistent with federal standards issued by the United States Access Board to implement section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, as amended, and the web access standards issued by the World Wide Web Consortium Web Accessibility Initiative; and

WHEREAS, the Chief Information Officer is required to issue the Hawaii Electronic Information Technology Accessibility Standards, and state entities are required to review and incorporate these standards into their procurement and development rules, policies, and procedures, within six months of the publication of the standards or any amendments thereto; and

WHEREAS, these requirements have been in effect since Act 172 was signed into law, but the standards have not yet been issued more than eighteen months later; and

WHEREAS, many states already require compliance with federal accessibility standards and model standards already exist that can be modified if needed for use in Hawaii, making further delay inexcusable to complete implementation of Act 172; and

WHEREAS, the Legislature finds that implementation of Act 172 is essential to ensure all residents equal access to goods, services, benefits, education, and employment opportunities provided by state entities; now, therefore,

BE IT RESOLVED by the Senate of the Thirty-second Legislature of the State of Hawaii, Regular Session of 2024, that the Chief Information Officer is urged to ensure the prompt implementation of Act 172, Session Laws of Hawaii 2022, on or before December 31, 2024; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that the Chief Information Officer is requested and advised to submit a report to the Legislature no later than thirty days prior to the Regular Session of 2025, describing the status of implementation of Act 172 and making any recommendations for future legislation needed to ensure the State's electronic information technology meets or exceeds federal accessibility standards; and

BE IT FURTHER RESOLVED that certified copies of this Resolution be transmitted to the Governor, the Chief Information Officer, and the Executive Director of the Disability and Communication Access Board.