No official summary available for this bill.
[Congressional Bills 118th Congress]
[From the U.S. Government Publishing Office]
[S. 4766 Introduced in Senate (IS)]
<DOC>
118th CONGRESS
2d Session
S. 4766
To strengthen requirements for the use of accessible information and
communications technology by Federal departments and agencies.
_______________________________________________________________________
IN THE SENATE OF THE UNITED STATES
July 24, 2024
Mr. Casey (for himself, Mr. Fetterman, Mr. Wyden, and Ms. Duckworth)
introduced the following bill; which was read twice and referred to the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions
_______________________________________________________________________
A BILL
To strengthen requirements for the use of accessible information and
communications technology by Federal departments and agencies.
Be it enacted by the Senate and House of Representatives of the
United States of America in Congress assembled,
SECTION 1. SHORT TITLE.
This Act may be cited as the ``Section 508 Refresh Act of 2024''.
SEC. 2. DEFINITIONS.
In this Act:
(1) Access board.--The term ``Access Board'' means the
Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board
established under section 502(a)(1) of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 792(a)(1)).
(2) Administrator.--The term ``Administrator'' means the
Administrator of the General Services Administration.
(3) Disability.--The term ``disability'' has the meaning
given that term in section 3 of the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990 (42 U.S.C. 12102).
(4) Federal department or agency.--The term ``Federal
department or agency'' has the meaning given the term agency in
section 3502 of title 44, United States Code, except that such
term shall also include agency components.
(5) Information and communications technology.--The term
``information and communications technology'' means all
information technology and all other equipment, systems,
technologies, or processes, for which the principal function is
the creation, manipulation, storage, display, receipt, or
transmission of electronic data and information, as well as any
associated content, such as computers and peripheral equipment,
information kiosks and transaction machines, telecommunications
equipment, customer premises equipment, multifunction office
machines, software, applications, websites, videos, and
electronic documents.
(6) Section 508.--The term ``section 508'' means section
508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d).
SEC. 3. AMENDMENTS TO DEFINITIONS AND TERMS USED IN SECTION 508 OF THE
REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973.
(a) Amendments.--Section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29
U.S.C. 794d) is amended--
(1) by striking ``electronic and information technology''
and inserting ``information and communications technology''
each place the term appears;
(2) in subsection (a)--
(A) in subparagraph (A) of paragraph (1), by
striking electronic and information technology in the
subparagraph heading and inserting ``information and
communications technology'';
(B) by striking subparagraph (A) of paragraph (2)
and inserting the following:
``(A) The Architectural and Transportation Barriers
Compliance Board (referred to in this section as the
`Access Board') shall maintain published technical and
functional performance criteria necessary to implement
the requirements set forth in paragraph (1).''; and
(C) in paragraph (3)--
(i) by striking ``Not later than 6 months
after the Access Board publishes the standards
required under paragraph (2), the Federal
Acquisition Regulatory Council shall revise the
Federal Acquisition Regulation and each Federal
department or agency shall revise the Federal
procurement policies and directives under the
control of the department or agency to
incorporate those standards.''; and
(ii) by striking ``Council'' and inserting
``Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council''; and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(j) Definitions.--In this section:
``(1) Federal department and agency.--The term `Federal
department and agency' has the meaning given the term `agency'
in section 3502 of title 44, United States Code.
``(2) Information and communications technology.--The term
`information and communications technology' means all
information technology and all other equipment, systems,
technologies, or processes, for which the principal function is
the creation, manipulation, storage, display, receipt, or
transmission of electronic data and information, as well as any
associated content, such as--
``(A) computers and peripheral equipment;
``(B) information kiosks and transaction machines;
``(C) telecommunications equipment;
``(D) customer premises equipment;
``(E) multifunction office machines;
``(F) software;
``(G) applications;
``(H) websites;
``(I) videos; and
``(J) electronic documents.''.
(b) Conforming Amendments.--
(1) The item relating to section 508 in the table of
contents of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 701 et
seq.) is amended by striking ``Electronic and information
technology'' and inserting ``Information and communications
technology''.
(2) Section 204 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29
U.S.C. 764) is amended--
(A) in subsection (b)(2)(C)(i), by striking
``electronic and information technology'' and inserting
``information and communications technology''.
(B) in subsection (b)(2)(D), by striking
``electronic and information technology'' and inserting
``information and communications technology''.
(3) Section 502 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29
U.S.C. 792) is amended--
(A) in subsection (b)(3)(D), by striking
``electronic and information technology'' and inserting
``information and communications technology''.
(B) in subsection (d), by striking ``electronic and
information technology'' and inserting ``information
and communications technology''.
SEC. 4. INVOLVEMENT OF PEOPLE WITH DISABILITIES.
(a) Amendment to the Rehabilitation Act of 1973.--Section 508 of
the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d) is amended by inserting
after subsection (g) the following:
``(h) Involvement of People With Disabilities.--In carrying out
this section, Federal departments and agencies shall routinely involve
people with disabilities. That involvement shall take the form of
soliciting feedback and participation from Federal employees and
members of the public with disabilities in each of the following:
``(1) The development of mechanisms or processes to enforce
this section within a department or agency.
``(2) The acquisition or development of information and
communications technology in a manner that incorporates
accessibility for people with disabilities from the beginning
to the end of the acquisition or development process.
``(3) Testing information and communications technology for
compliance with this section.
``(4) Remediating information and communications technology
that is not in compliance with this section.
``(5) The complaints process under this section, including
the effectiveness and timeliness of the complaints process
under this section.''.
(b) Guidance for Departments and Agencies.--Not later than 1 year
after the date of enactment of this Act, the Access Board, in
consultation with the Administrator, the Director of the Office of
Management and Budget, and the Director of the Office of Federal
Contract Compliance Programs shall establish guidelines for departments
and agencies to routinely involve people with disabilities in
accordance with subsection (h) of section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended by subsection (a).
SEC. 5. AUTHORITY OF THE ACCESS BOARD TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION
508.
Section 502(b)(1) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C.
792(b)(1)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``ensure compliance with the standards
prescribed pursuant to the Act'' and inserting ``ensure
compliance with--''
``(A) the standards prescribed pursuant to the
Act'';
(2) by inserting ``and'' after the semicolon at the end of
subparagraph (A); and
(3) by adding at the end the following:
``(B) the standards prescribed pursuant to section
508;''.
SEC. 6. UNIFORM COMPLAINT PROCESS; INCORPORATION OF PEOPLE WITH
DISABILITIES IN ENFORCEMENT.
(a) Establishment of Access Board Complaint Process.--
(1) In general.--In accordance with the authority of the
Access Board under section 502(b)(1) of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973 (as amended by section 5), not later than 1 year after
the date of enactment of this Act, the Access Board, in
consultation with the Administrator and the Director of the
Office of Management and Budget, shall establish a uniform
complaint process for any individual to file a complaint with
the Access Board alleging that a Federal department or agency
fails to comply with subsection (a)(2) of section 508 of that
Act and for actions to resolve such complaints.
(2) Timeframe.--The Access Board shall promulgate
regulations to establish the timeframe by which complaints
shall be processed or adjudicated under such uniform complaint
process.
(3) Transition of complaints process.--The Access Board
shall establish procedures to ensure the smooth transition of
the complaints process under section 508 before the date of the
uniform complaint process described in paragraph (1) (referred
to in this paragraph as the ``previous complaints process'')
and the uniform complaints process established under paragraph
(1) (referred to in this paragraph as the ``new complaints
process''), which shall include ensuring that section 508
complaints that were initiated before the new complaints
process either--
(A) be adjudicated under the previous complaints
process not later than 6 months after the new
complaints process is established; or
(B) if such complaints are not adjudicated in
accordance with subparagraph (A), such complaints shall
be transferred to the Access Board for consideration
under the new complaints process.
(b) Enforcement Regarding Information and Communications
Technology.--Section 508(f) of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29
U.S.C. 794d(f)) is amended to read as follows:
``(f) Enforcement.--
``(1) In general.--Beginning on the date that the process
described in section 6(a) of the Section 508 Refresh Act of
2024 has been established, any individual may file a complaint
with the Access Board alleging that a Federal department or
agency fails to comply with standards described in subsection
(a)(2), in accordance with the authority of the Access Board
under section 502(b)(1).
``(2) Civil actions.--The remedies, procedures, and rights
set forth in sections 505(a)(2) and 505(b) shall be the
remedies, procedures, and rights available to any individual
with a disability filing a complaint under paragraph (1).''.
(c) Feedback.--In developing the complaint process and carrying out
the activities under subsection (f) of section 508 of such Act, as
amended by subsection (b), the Access Board shall solicit and
incorporate feedback from people with disabilities, including--
(1) members of the public with disabilities;
(2) Federal employees with disabilities; and
(3) people with disabilities who have previously filed
complaints under such section.
SEC. 7. PROCUREMENT PROCESS FOR INFORMATION AND COMMUNICATIONS
TECHNOLOGY.
(a) Establishment of Testing and Reporting Process.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in collaboration
with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the
Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs,
and the Access Board, shall establish a uniform process for
testing and reporting any information and communications
technology acquired by a Federal department or agency for
compliance with the requirements of section 508.
(2) Elements.--The uniform process established under
paragraph (1) shall include the following:
(A) A requirement that any contract between a
Federal department or agency and a vendor of
information and communications technology adopts
standard accessibility language, appropriate for the
type of information and communications technology being
acquired, that shall be determined by the
Administrator, in consultation with the Director of the
Office of Management and Budget, the Director of the
Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs, and the
Access Board.
(B) A requirement that the Federal department or
agency test any information and communications
technology for compliance with the requirements of
section 508 prior to the acquisition of such
technology, including timelines for such testing.
(C) A requirement that the Federal department or
agency shall not acquire or deploy information and
communications technology that is not compliant with
section 508.
(D) In the case of an information and
communications technology that fails to meet the
requirements of section 508, the following
accountability measures:
(i) Not later than 30 days after
discovering the noncompliance, the Federal
department or agency shall notify the vendor of
the noncompliance and the basis for the
noncompliance.
(ii) Following notification, the vendor
shall be subject to a mandatory civil penalty,
the value of which shall be--
(I) established by the
Administrator, in consultation with the
Director of the Office of Management
and Budget, the Director of the Office
of Federal Compliance Programs, and the
Access Board; and
(II) not less than 3 percent of the
value of the contract.
(iii) The vendor shall, at the expense of
the vendor, have 6 months from the date of
notification to modify the technology to bring
it into compliance with the requirements of
section 508.
(iv) If the vendor fails to bring the
technology into compliance by the deadline
established under clause (iii) and the
requirements of section 508 were included in
the contract for the information and
communications technology--
(I) the Federal department or
agency shall--
(aa) terminate the contract
for cause; and
(bb) seek reimbursement for
the full value of the contract
(in addition to the mandatory
civil penalty assessed under
subparagraph (D)(ii).
(3) Technical assistance.--
(A) In general.--The Administrator shall provide to
Federal departments and agencies technical assistance
for compliance with the uniform process for testing and
reporting established under paragraph (1).
(B) Website.--The technical assistance required
under subparagraph (A) shall include the maintenance of
a website that is accessible to the heads of Federal
departments and agencies and that contains information
and tools for compliance with the uniform process
established under paragraph (1).
(b) Good Samaritan Bonus Program.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
the enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in collaboration
with the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, the
Director of the Office of Federal Contract Compliance Programs,
and the Access Board, shall establish a process for providing
to each vendor that identifies one or more requirement of
section 508 that is missing from the contract between the
vendor and the Federal department or agency for information and
communications technology a bonus of not more than 3 percent of
the value of the contract.
(2) Eligibility.--A vendor is eligible for the bonus under
paragraph (1) if--
(A) the vendor properly notified the Federal
department or agency about the missing requirement and
provides documentation of such notification;
(B) the vendor provides documentation showing
that--
(i) the missing requirement was added to
the contract for the information and
communications technology; or
(ii) the Federal department or agency
declined to add the requirement; and
(C) the vendor delivered to the Federal department
or agency information and communications technology
that complies with every requirement of section 508.
(3) Department or agency requirements.--In the case of a
Federal department or agency that declines to add a
requirement, as described in paragraph (2)(B)(ii), that Federal
department or agency shall report the decision to decline, and
the justification for doing so, to the Administrator and the
Access Board.
(c) Streamlining Verification of Information and Communications
Technology Provided to Departments and Agencies.--
(1) Conformity assessments.--Not later than 1 year after
the date of the enactment of this Act, the Director of the
Office of Management and Budget, in coordination with the
Administrator, shall establish a program to enable vendors of
information and communications technology to review an
assessment of whether their products and services conform to
the standards promulgated pursuant to section 508(a)(2) of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d(a)(2)) and verify
the assessment or state that the assessment cannot be verified.
(2) List on public website.--The Administrator shall ensure
that the products and services of vendors of information and
communications technology that meet the criteria of the program
are categorized and listed on a centralized public website.
(3) Program development.--In developing the program
required under paragraph (1), the Director of the Office of
Management and Budget and the Administrator shall consult
regularly with Federal departments and agencies, as well as
representatives from the accessibility community and the
information and communications technology industry.
(4) Guidance.--The Director of the Office of Management and
Budget, in consultation with the Administrator, may issue
guidance to Federal departments and agencies, as necessary, to
implement this subsection.
(d) FedRAMP Authorization and Section 508.--Beginning on the date
that is 1 year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Federal
Risk and Authorization Management Program shall only authorize products
and services that are verified pursuant to subsection (c) to be fully
compliant with section 508.
SEC. 8. AGENCY ACCOUNTABILITY.
(a) Guidelines Relating to Compliance Officers.--Not later than 1
year after the date of enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in
consultation with the Access Board, the Director of the Office of
Management and Budget, and the Office of Federal Contract Compliance
Programs shall establish guidelines relating to the programs for
compliance with section 508 and compliance officers of departments and
agencies, including--
(1) the role of such programs and authority of compliance
officers in departments and agencies;
(2) the relationship of compliance officers with department
and agency information technology officers; and
(3) the relationship of compliance officers with department
and agency acquisition officers, including the authority of
compliance officers to intervene in the acquisition process if
the information and communications technology a department or
agency is seeking to procure is not compliant with section 508.
(b) Continuous Accessibility Testing for Information and
Communications Technology.--
(1) Establishment of testing and evaluation requirements.--
The Administrator, in consultation with the Director of the
Office of Management and Budget and the Access Board, shall
establish standardized continuous accessibility testing and
evaluation requirements with respect to department and agency
information and communications technology that is acquired,
developed, maintained, or used by a department or agency,
including information and communications technology acquired,
developed, maintained, or used before the date of enactment of
this Act. Such standardized continuous accessibility testing
and evaluation requirements shall include regression testing.
(2) Technical assistance.--The General Services
Administration shall provide technical assistance to
departments and agencies with continuous testing and evaluation
required pursuant to paragraph (1), including through the
establishment of an online hub that includes tools and guidance
relating to such testing and evaluation.
(c) Noncompliant Information and Communications Technology.--In the
case of information and communications technology acquired, developed,
maintained, or used before the date of enactment of this Act that is
found to not be compliant with section 508, as amended by this Act, the
applicable department or agency shall remediate or remove that
information and communications technology not later than 90 days after
the determination of noncompliance.
(d) Federal Agency Accessibility Compliance.--Section 508 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d), as amended by sections 3
and 4, is further amended by inserting after subsection (h), as added
by section 4, the following:
``(i) Compliance Officer.--
``(1) In general.--
``(A) Appointment.--Not later than 90 days after
the date that the Administrator establishes guidelines
pursuant to section 8 of the Section 508 Refresh Act of
2024, the head of each Federal department or agency to
which this section applies shall, consistent with such
guidelines, appoint a compliance officer who shall have
knowledge and experience with website accessibility,
the requirements of this section, and the Web Content
Accessibility Guidelines that are current as of the
date of the appointment.
``(B) Responsibilities.--Each compliance officer
appointed under subparagraph (A) shall--
``(i) be responsible for ensuring the
Federal department or agency is meeting the
requirements of this section;
``(ii) be responsible for remaining up-to-
date on changes to web content accessibility
requirements and other requirements concerning
the accessibility of information and
communications technology; and
``(iii) report directly to the head of the
Federal department or agency.
``(2) Signed certification.--Beginning not later than 1
year after the date of enactment of the Section 508 Refresh Act
of 2024, and annually thereafter, the head of each Federal
department or agency to which this section applies shall--
``(A) post on the home page of the department or
agency's website a signed certification that the
department or agency is in compliance with the
requirements under this section; or
``(B) submit to Congress, and post on the home page
of the department or agency's website, a plan with a
timeline to ensure the department or agency's
compliance with the requirements under this section.
``(3) Larger departments and agencies.--With respect to a
Federal department or agency to which this section applies that
has multiple units within such department or agency headed by
Assistant Secretaries or Directors, the head of each such unit
shall appoint a compliance officer who shall be responsible for
ensuring the unit is meeting the requirements of this section.
``(4) Flexibility for smaller departments and agencies.--
The head of a Federal department or agency to which this
section applies that has fewer than 20 full-time employees may
appoint one of such full-time employees as the compliance
officer for the department or agency, if the majority of the
employee's work duties are related to work as the compliance
officer.''.
(e) Guidelines Relating to Performance Appraisals.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Director of the Office of Personnel
Management, in consultation with the Director of the Office of
Management and Budget, the Administrator, and the Access Board,
shall issue guidelines for including compliance with section
508 as a critical element in performance appraisals for all
members of the Senior Executive Service.
(2) Requirements.--The guidelines issued under paragraph
(1) shall determine the factors to be included in the appraisal
described in paragraph (1).
(f) Federal Advisory Committees on Equal Access.--
(1) Committee establishment.--Not later than 1 year after
the date of enactment of this Act, each department or agency
shall establish a Federal Advisory Committee on Equal Access
if--
(A) the department or agency fails to appoint a
compliance officer under section 508(i) of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d), as added
by this Act, or allows the position of compliance
officer to go unfilled for more than 6 months;
(B) the department or agency fails to publish on
the website of the department or agency a signed
certification of compliance with the requirements of
section 508, or, if unable to publish a signed
certification of compliance, a plan to ensure
compliance by the department or agency within a
specified timeframe;
(C) the department or agency fails to publish a
signed certification of compliance or update
documentation, pursuant to a plan published under
subparagraph (B) within the specified timeframe
provided under that plan; or
(D) the Administrator, in consultation with the
Access Board, determines that the department or
agency--
(i) is habitually non-compliant with
section 508;
(ii) has failed to provide appropriate,
continuous testing for information and
communications technology compliance under the
requirements of this Act; or
(iii) has failed to appropriately evaluate
employees, including senior executives, for
compliance with section 508, pursuant to the
guidelines issued under subsection (d); or
(iv) has made inadequate progress toward
carrying out the compliance plan described in
section 508(i)(2)(B) of the Rehabilitation Act
of 1973 (as added by this Act).
(2) Committee membership.--The Administrator, in
consultation with the Access Board, shall determine the size of
each Federal Advisory Committee on Equal Access and membership
criteria, which shall include a requirement that a majority of
the members be individuals with a disability, and represent a
variety of disabilities.
(3) Meetings; termination.--The Administrator, in
consultation with the Access Board, shall determine the
frequency of meetings and termination date of each Federal
Advisory Committee on Equal Access.
(4) Reports required.--Each Federal Advisory Committee on
Equal Access of a department or agency shall submit to the
Administrator, Access Board, and the Inspector General an
annual report relating to--
(A) compliance of the department or agency with
section 508;
(B) compliance of the department or agency with
other Federal accessibility laws, prioritized by area
of greatest need, as determined by the Federal Advisory
Committee on Equal Access; and
(C) recommendations of the Federal Advisory
Committee on Equal Access for improving the department
or agency's compliance with section 508 and any other
Federal accessibility laws the Federal Advisory
Committee on Equal Access examines.
SEC. 9. REPORTS.
(a) Reporting Requirements.--
(1) In general.--Subsection (d) of section 508 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 is amended to read as follows:
``(d) In General.--
``(1) Annual compliance reports.--
``(A) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the
date of enactment of this Act, and annually thereafter,
the Administrator, in consultation with the Director of
the Office of Management and Budget and the Access
Board, shall prepare and submit to the Committees on
Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions, Aging,
Appropriations, and Homeland Security and Governmental
Affairs of the Senate and the Committees on Energy and
Commerce, Appropriations, and Oversight and Reform of
the House of Representatives a report that shall
include--
``(i) a comprehensive assessment (including
information identifying the metrics and data
used) of compliance by each department or
agency, and by the Federal Government
generally, with the requirements of this
section;
``(ii) a detailed description of the
actions, activities, and other efforts made by
the Administrator over the year preceding
submission to support such compliance at
agencies and any planned efforts in the coming
year to improve compliance at agencies;
``(iii) a list of recommendations that
agencies or Congress may take to help support
that compliance; and
``(iv) a list of each instance in which a
Federal department or agency declined to
include a requirement of this section that is
missing from a contract between a vendor and
the Federal department or agency, as reported
under section 7(b)(3) of the Section 508
Refresh Act of 2024.
``(B) Report availability.--The Administrator shall
ensure that the reports required under this paragraph
are made available on a public website and are
maintained as an open Government data asset (as that
term is defined in section 3502 of title 44, United
States Code).
``(2) Unresolved complaints.--
``(A) In general.--Beginning not later than 1 year
after the date on which the uniform complaint process
described in subsection (f), as amended by section 6 of
the Section 508 Refresh Act of 2024, is implemented,
the Access Board, in consultation with the
Administrator, shall prepare and submit an annual
report in accordance with subparagraph (B), that shall
include, at a minimum, information on--
``(i) the number of unresolved complaints
that--
``(I) allege that a Federal
department or agency fails to comply
with section 508, by department and
agency; and
``(II)(aa) have been filed since
the last annual report that are not
resolved at the time the report is
submitted; and
``(bb) have been filed before the
previous report and remain unresolved
at the time the report is submitted;
and
``(ii) for the purpose of comparing
departments and agencies, the number of
complaints described in clause (i), by
department and agency, that have not been
resolved within the timeline established as
part of such uniform complaint process.
``(B) Report.--The information described in
subparagraph (A) may be submitted as part of the report
described in paragraph (1). If such information is not
submitted as part of that report, such information
shall be submitted to Congress, made available on a
public website, and maintained as an open Government
data asset (as that term is defined in section 3502 of
title 44, United States Code).''.
(2) Repeal.--Subsection (b) of section 752 of the
Consolidated Appropriations Act, 2023 (29 U.S.C. 794d-1(b)) is
repealed.
(b) Report to Congress on Exceptions.--
(1) In general.--Not later than 1 year after the date of
enactment of this Act, the Administrator, in coordination with
the Director of the Office of Management and Budget, shall
submit to the Special Committee on Aging of the Senate, the
Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions of the
Senate, and the Committee on Energy and Commerce of the House
of Representatives, and make available on a public website and
maintain as an open Government data asset (as that term is
defined in section 3502 of title 44, United States Code), a
report on the following exceptions claimed by departments and
agencies with respect to the requirements of section 508 under
appendix A of section 1194 of title 36, Code of Federal
Regulations:
(A) E202.2 Legacy ICT.
(B) E202.6 Undue Burden or Fundamental Alteration.
(C) E202.7 Best Meets.
(2) Report contents.--The report described in paragraph (1)
shall include, at minimum--
(A) a list of each exception in effect as of the
date of the report, organized by department and agency,
including the date the exemption was claimed and the
date the exemption expires;
(B) the total number of exceptions claimed by each
department and agency;
(C) plans of the department or agency for the
replacement of exempt information and communications
technology with information and communications
technology that is compliant with section 508, or a
justification for not planning to replace exempt
information and communications technology; and
(D) a description of barriers identified to
tracking, evaluating, or reporting on exemptions in
effect.
(c) Comptroller General Report.--
(1) In general.--Five years after the date of enactment of
this Act, the Comptroller General shall prepare and submit a
report to the appropriate congressional committees regarding
section 508. Such report shall include an evaluation of each of
the following:
(A) The extent that certain departments and
agencies, as selected by the Comptroller General, are
addressing compliance with section 508 requirements,
including the requirements established under this Act
and the amendments made by this Act.
(B) Barriers to implementing this Act and the
amendments made by this Act.
(C) The extent that accessibility standards for
information and communications technology used by
Federal departments and agencies align with best
practices, and the reasons for any variance.
(D) Whether changes in technology since the date of
enactment of this Act have created new issues regarding
compliance with section 508 at departments and agencies
selected by the Comptroller General.
(E) Recommendations for the executive branch and
Congress, as appropriate, for updating section 508 and
for improving compliance with section 508.
(2) Appropriate committees of congress.--For purposes of
the subsection, the appropriate committees of Congress are the
following:
(A) The Special Committee on Aging of the Senate.
(B) The Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and
Pensions of the Senate.
(C) The Committee on Energy and Commerce of the
House of Representatives.
(d) Cooperation.--Subsection (e) of section 508 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 794d(e)) is amended--
(1) by striking ``(including the Access Board, the Equal
Employment Opportunity Commission, and the General Services
Administration)'' and inserting ``(including the Access Board
and the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission)''; and
(2) by striking ``Attorney General'' and inserting
``Administrator of General Services and the Director of the
Office of Management and Budget'' each place the term appears.
SEC. 10. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out this Act
$4,500,000 for the period of fiscal years 2025 through 2029.
<all>
Introduced in Senate
Read twice and referred to the Committee on Health, Education, Labor, and Pensions.
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