Federal / Regulatory

In October rules went into effect requiring closed captioning on certain Internet video programming added on or after September 30, 2012 to assist individuals with hearing loss, as part of the Twenty-First Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA). However, the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) granted petitions for class waivers of...

In September the U.S. House of Representatives voted unanimously to pass the FEMA Reauthorization Act of 2012 [H.R. 2903] which will codify the Integrated Public Alert and Warning System (IPAWS) as law.  Once signed into law, H.R. 2903 would strengthen the body of laws related to parity of access to emergency information by people with disabilities.

The Federal Communications...

In July, the Food and Drug Administration Safety and Innovation Act [S. 3187] was enacted which establishes a working group to develop best practices, such as the use of Braille or “talking bottles” to ensure the accessibility of prescription drug labels. July 26^thmarked the 22^nd anniversary of the Americans with Disabilities Act. Organizations and government agencies across...

This month, President Barak Obama issued an Executive Order, “Accelerating Broadband Infrastructure Deployment,” which emphasizes that access to broadband is essential to the United States’. The Order establishes a working group which is tasked to “develop and implement a strategy to facilitate the timely and efficient deployment of broadband facilities” on federal properties. 

Judge Michael Ponsor of the District Court of Massachusetts rejected the motion to dismiss the...

In May, President Barak Obama urged Senate members to ratify the Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities.  The Convention was adopted by the United Nations in 2006 and signed by the United States in 2009.  Ratification of the Convention would allow the United States to have more influence in the Convention by becoming a State Party to the Convention.

In the regulatory arena, the FCC has...

This month, the TDPH highlights recent legislative actions concerning emergency communications. The Next Generation 9-1-1 Advancement Act of 2012 [P.L. 112-96] was recently signed into law in order to establish a 9-1-1 Implementation Coordination Office responsible for the coordination of 9-1-1 services as well as the facilitation of grant programs for state, local and tribal entities providing these services....

This month, U.S. Congressman Edward J. Markey (D-MA), introduced new legislation, The Prescription Drug Labeling Promotion Act of 2012 [H.R. 4087], regarding making information on drug labels accessible to people who are blind or have low vision. The legislation called for a working group to develop best practices, such as the use of Braille or “talking bottles” to ensure the accessibility of prescription drug labels.

In the regulatory arena, ...

This month the Department of Justice issued new ADA Standards for Accessible Design. The standards revise regulations for both Titles II and III of the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and ensure accessibility of “newly designed and constructed or altered State and local government facilities, public accommodations, and commercial facilities.” The new standards will become effective March 15, 2012....

This winter issue reviews the many technology and disability policy developments from the months of December 2011 and January 2012. The Department of Labor issued a Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NPRM) [RIN 1250-AA02] seeking comment on revisions of non-discrimination and affirmative action regulations for qualified workers with disabilities. The proposed ruling would include a hiring goal for federal contractors and subcontractors as...