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    AN ACT concerning information technology access.

 
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    Be it enacted by the People of the State of Illinois,
 
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represented in the General Assembly:

 
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    Section 1. Short title. This Act may be cited as the 
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Information Technology Accessibility Act.
 
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    Section 5. Findings; policy.
 
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    (a) The Legislature finds that:
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        (1) The advent of the information age throughout the 
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    United States and around the world has resulted in dramatic 
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    increases in the importance of information technology in 
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    employment, education, and the receipt of services.
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        (2) While information technology is increasingly being 
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    used as a means of providing information, communications, 
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    and services, the State is not consistently or 
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    cost-effectively ensuring that these technologies are 
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    accessible to individuals with disabilities.
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        (3) The lack of accessible information technology can 
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    prevent individuals with disabilities from participating 
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    on equal terms in crucial areas of life, such as education 
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    and employment.
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        (4) Techniques and products exist that can ensure that 
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    information technology can be made accessible to 
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    individuals with disabilities in consistent and 
 


 






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    cost-effective manners.
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        (5)  By proactively addressing accessibility in its 
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    information technology development and procurement 
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    processes, the State can cost-effectively ensure that its 
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    information technology will be accessible to individuals 
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    with disabilities.
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    (b) It is the policy of the State of Illinois that 
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information technology developed, purchased, or provided by 
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the State is accessible to individuals with disabilities.


 
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    Section 10. Definitions.
 As used in this Act:
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    "Accessibility" means the ability to receive, use, and 
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manipulate data and operate controls included in electronic and 
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information technology in a manner equivalent to that of 
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individuals who do not have disabilities.
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    "Electronic and information technology" means electronic 
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information, software, systems, and equipment used in the 
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creation, manipulation, storage, display, or transmission of 
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data, including internet and intranet systems, software 
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applications, operating systems, video and multimedia, 
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telecommunications products, kiosks, information transaction 
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machines, copiers, printers, and desktop and portable 
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computers.
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    "Individuals with disabilities" means individuals with 
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impairments that limit their ability to use information 
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technology. This includes, but is not limited to, individuals 
 


 






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with low vision, blindness, hardness of hearing, deafness, 
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limited use of their hands, no use of their hands, or other 
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similar impairments.
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    "State entity" means the executive, legislative, and 
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judicial branches of State of Illinois, including its 
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departments, divisions, agencies, constitutional offices, 
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public bodies, and public universities.  The term does not 
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include units of local government, school districts, or 
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community colleges.


 
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    Section 15. Development of standards.
 Not later than 6 
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months after the effective date of this Act, the Department of 
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Human Services shall develop and publish accessibility 
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standards for electronic and information technology for State 
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entities.  The Secretary of Human Services shall convene a 
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working group of appropriate State entity representatives, 
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stakeholders, and other appropriate individuals and officials 
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to advise and assist the Department in this process.  The 
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standards shall address, at a minimum, the following:
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    (1) functional performance criteria and technical 
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requirements for accessibility;
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    (2) recommendations for procurement language that can be 
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incorporated into existing State procurement processes to 
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ensure compliance with accessibility standards; and
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    (3) recommendations for planning, reporting, monitoring, 
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and enforcement of the accessibility standards by State 
 


 






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entities.


 
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    Section 20. Implementation of standards.

 


 Not later than 6 
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months after the development and publication of accessibility 
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standards by the Department of Human Services, the Director of 
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Central Management Services and each State entity shall review 
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the standards and make revisions to existing procurement or 
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development rules, policies, and procedures under their 
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control to incorporate the standards.  The accessibility 
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standards shall apply to electronic and information technology 
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developed or procured by a State entity, or to substantial 
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modifications made to electronic and information technology by 
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a State entity, after the Department of Central Management 
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Services and other State entities incorporate the 
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accessibility standards into their procurement policies and 
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procedures.  The accessibility standards shall not require (i) 
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the installation of specific accessibility-related software or 
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peripheral devices at a workstation of an employee who is not 
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an individual with a disability or (ii) equipment made 
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available for access at a location where the electronic and 
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information technology is not customarily available to the 
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public.
 
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    Section 25. Review and amendment of standards.
 The 
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Department of Human Services shall, at a minimum, review the 
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accessibility standards every 3 years after the date of initial 
 


 






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publication and, as appropriate, amend the standards to reflect 
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technological advances or changes in electronic and 
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information technology.  The Secretary of Human Services may 
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convene a working group of appropriate State entity 
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representatives, stakeholders, and other appropriate 
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individuals and officials to advise and assist in the process 
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of reviewing and amending the standards.  Within 6 months after 
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the publication by the Department of Human Services of 
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amendments to the standards, the Director of Central Management 
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Services and other State entities shall review the amended 
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standards and make any necessary changes to their existing 
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procurement policies and procedures to incorporate amendments 
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to the accessibility standards into their procurement policies 
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and procedures. The amended accessibility standards shall 
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apply to electronic and information technology developed or 
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procured by a State entity, or to substantial modifications 
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made to electronic and information technology by a State 
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entity, after the Department of Central Management Services and 
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other State entities incorporate the amended accessibility 
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standards into their procurement policies and procedures.
 

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    Section 99. Effective date. This Act takes effect upon 
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becoming law.