Full Text of Connecticut Proposed Legislation

Good morning:
I am posting the full text of the proposed legislation for State (of
Connecticut) Government Web Sites.  The Raised Bill No. is 7006; the LCO No.
is 4637. The bill's status can be tracked at:  http://www.cga.state.ct.us


Kathleen Anderson, Webmaster
Office of the State Comptroller
55 Elm Street
Hartford, Connecticut   06106
voice: 860.702.3355 fax: 860.702.3634
e-mail: kathleen.anderson@po.state.ct.us
URL: http://www.osc.state.ct.us/
URL ACCESS: http://www.cmac.state.ct.us/access/


AN ACT CONCERNING ACCESS BY PERSONS WITH DISABILITIES TO STATE INFORMATION
TECHNOLOGY.

Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives in General Assembly
convened:

Section 1. Section 4d-1 of the general statutes is repealed and the
following is substituted in lieu thereof:

As used in this chapter and section 3 of this act:

(1) "Architecture" means the defined structure or orderly arrangement of
information systems and telecommunication systems, based on accepted
industry standards and guidelines, for the purpose of maximizing (1) the
interconnection and efficiency of such systems, [and] (2) the ability of
users to share information resources, and (3) the accessibility of such
systems and resources by persons with disabilities.

(2) "Information systems" means the combination of data processing hardware
and software in the collection, processing and distribution of data to and
from interactive computer-based systems to meet informational needs.

(3) "State agency" means each department, board, council, commission,
institution or other agency of the Executive Department of the state
government, provided each board, council, commission, institution or other
agency included by law within any given department shall be deemed a
division of that department. The term "state agency" shall include (A) the
offices of the Governor, Lieutenant Governor, Treasurer, Attorney General,
Secretary of the State and Comptroller and (B) all operations of an
Executive Department agency which are funded by either the General Fund or a
special fund.

(4) "Telecommunication systems" means telephone equipment and transmission
facilities, either alone or in combination with information systems, for the
electronic distribution of all forms of information, including voice, data
and images.

(5) "Chief Information Officer" means the department head for the Department
of Information Technology.

(6) "Person with disabilities" means a person who (A) has a physical or
mental impairment that substantially limits one or more of the major life
activities of such individual, (B) has a record of such an impairment, or
(C) is regarded as having such an impairment.

Sec. 2. Subsection (a) of section 4d-7 of the general statutes is repealed
and the following is substituted in lieu thereof:

(a) The Chief Information Officer shall develop, publish and annually update
an information and telecommunication systems strategic plan which shall have
the following goals: (1) To provide a level of voice and data communications
service among all state agencies that will ensure the effective and
efficient completion of their respective functions; (2) to establish a
direction for the collection, storage, management and use of information by
state agencies in an efficient manner; (3) to develop a comprehensive
information policy for state agencies that clearly articulates (A) the
state's commitment to the sharing of its information resources, (B) the
relationship of such resources to library and other information resources in
the state, and (C) a philosophy of equal access to information; (4) to
provide all necessary telecommunication services between state agencies and
the public; (5) to provide, in the event of an emergency, immediate voice
and data communications capabilities which are necessary to support state
agency functions; [and] (6) to provide necessary access to higher technology
for state agencies; and (7) make information systems, telecommunication
systems and information resources accessible by persons with disabilities.

Sec. 3. (NEW) (a) As used in this subsection, "ConneCT Management Advisory
Committee" means the committee that manages the official State of
Connecticut Website and is coordinated by the Office of Policy and
Management and sponsored by the Department of Information Technology.

(b) Not later than October 1, 2002, (1) each state agency shall comply with
the Universal Web Site Accessibility Policy for State Web Sites established
and amended from time to time by the ConneCT Management Advisory Committee
and (2) the Chief Information Officer of the Department of Information
Technology shall certify each such agency which has complied with said
policy. If the Chief Information Officer determines that a state agency has
not complied by said date, the Chief Information Officer shall develop a
plan and timetable for said agency's compliance and may recommend to the
Secretary of the Office of Policy and Management that a portion of the
agency's funding for information technology be allocated for said
compliance.

(c) Not later than January 1, 2003, the Chief Information Officer shall
submit a report on the status of state agency compliance with said policy to
the joint standing committee of the General Assembly having cognizance of
matters relating to government administration.

(d) Not later than October 1, 2002, the Legislative Department and the
Judicial Department shall also comply with said Universal Web Site
Accessibility Policy for State Web Sites. Not later than January 1, 2003,
the executive director of the Joint Committee on Legislative Management and
the Chief Court Administrator shall each submit a report on his or her
department's compliance with said policy, to the joint standing committee of
the General Assembly having cognizance of matters relating to government
administration.

(e) Any person with disabilities may file a complaint with the Office of
Protection and Advocacy for Persons with Disabilities, concerning the
accessibility of information and telecommunication systems and information
resources of a state agency, the Legislative Department or the Judicial
Department. The director of said office may investigate such complaints
under the authority granted to the director under subdivision (4) of section
46a-11 of the general statutes. If, pursuant to any such investigation, the
director finds a pattern of noncompliance by a state agency or one of said
departments with the Universal Web Site Accessibility Policy for State Web
Sites, the director shall (1) in the case of a state agency, submit a report
on such findings to the Chief Information Officer, (2) in the case of the
Legislative Department, submit a report on such findings to the executive
director of the Joint Committee on Legislative Management or (3) in the case
of the Judicial Department, submit a report on such findings to the Chief
Court Administrator.

Statement of Purpose:

To ensure equal access by persons with disabilities to state information
technology.

[Proposed deletions are enclosed in brackets. Proposed additions are
indicated by underline, except that when the entire text of a bill or
resolution or a section of a bill or resolution is new, it is not
underlined.]

Received on Tuesday, 27 March 2001 08:20:01 UTC