§18-10N-3. Purchasing to develop access standards; access clause to be included in contracts.

(a) On or before September 1, 2001, the Purchasing Division of the Department of Administration shall develop nonvisual access standards for information technology systems employed by state agencies that:

(1) Provide blind or visually impaired individuals with access to information stored electronically by state agencies by ensuring compatibility with adaptive technology systems so that blind and visually impaired individuals have full and equal access when needed; and

(2) Are designed to present information, including prompts used for interactive communications, in formats intended for both visual and nonvisual use, such as the use of text-only options.

(b) The Purchasing Division shall consult with state agencies and representatives of individuals who are blind or visually impaired in developing the nonvisual access standards described in subsection (a) of this section and the procurement criteria described in section four of this article.

(c) The head of each state agency shall establish a written plan and develop any proposed budget requests for implementing the nonvisual access standards for its agency at facilities accessible by the public.