STAND. COM. REP. NO. 671-22

Honolulu, Hawaii

, 2022

RE: H.B. No. 1419

H.D. 1

Honorable Scott K. Saiki

Speaker, House of Representatives

Thirty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2022

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committees on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness and Higher Education & Technology, to which was referred H.B. No. 1419 entitled:

"A BILL FOR AN ACT RELATING TO ELECTRONIC INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY ACCESSIBILITY,"

beg leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this measure is to require the Office of Enterprise Technology Services to develop, publish, and periodically update electronic information technology disability access standards.

Your Committees received testimony in support of this measure from the Executive Office on Aging, Hawaii State Council on Developmental Disabilities, Disability and Communication Access Board, National Federation of the Blind of Hawaii, Hawaii State Committee of Blind Vendors, and five individuals. Your Committees received comments on this measure from the Office of Enterprise Technology Services.

Your Committees find that electronic information technology has rapidly replaced conventional printed communications in the areas of employment, education, and receipt of services. Your Committees further find that the implementation of new technologies and procedures across various state entities is not consistently or cost-effectively made accessible to individuals with disabilities. This measure establishes a process to improve accessibility for electronic information technology, which will ensure that all Hawaii residents can participate in and benefit equally from state programs and services.

Your Committees have amended this measure by:

(1) Clarifying the 2023 deadlines by which the Office of Enterprise Technology must publish, and by which state entities must adopt, preliminary electronic information technology accessibility standards;

(2) Changing the effective date to July 1, 2060, to encourage further discussion; and

(3) Making technical, nonsubstantive amendments for the purposes of clarity, consistency, and style.

As affirmed by the records of votes of the members of your Committees on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness and Higher Education & Technology that are attached to this report, your Committees are in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 1419, as amended herein, and recommend that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 1419, H.D. 1, and be referred to your Committee on Finance.

Respectfully submitted on behalf of the members of the Committees on Health, Human Services, & Homelessness and Higher Education & Technology,

____________________________ GREGG TAKAYAMA, Chair

____________________________ RYAN I. YAMANE, Chair