REPORT TITLE:
Assistive technology


DESCRIPTION:
Establishes a Statewide Council on Assistive Technology.

 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
 
                                                        
THE SENATE                              S.B. NO.           2085
TWENTIETH LEGISLATURE, 2000                                
STATE OF HAWAII                                            
                                                             
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                   A  BILL  FOR  AN  ACT

RELATING TO ASSISTIVE TECHNOLOGY.



BE IT ENACTED BY THE LEGISLATURE OF THE STATE OF HAWAII:

 1      SECTION 1.  The legislature finds that the Assistive
 
 2 Technology Resource Centers of Hawaii has been the primary
 
 3 repository and provider of unbiased assistive technology
 
 4 resources and oversight to the State and the Pacific region since
 
 5 1991.  Services include information and referrals on assistive
 
 6 technology devices and services, assessments and training
 
 7 relating to assistive technology devices, policy, funding, and
 
 8 advocacy/self-advocacy information, as well as initiating and
 
 9 monitoring systemic change related to assistive technology and
 
10 the proper implementation of such changes.
 
11      A private, nonprofit organization completely funded by
 
12 private organizations until the federal fiscal year 1999-2000 by
 
13 federal grants under the Technology Related Assistance for
 
14 Individuals with Disabilities Act of 1988, its 1994 federal
 
15 reauthorization, and the Assistive Technology Act of 1998, the
 
16 legislature finds that Assistive Technology Resource Centers of
 
17 Hawaii continues to serve all of the people of Hawaii, from the
 
18 youngest children to the oldest adults, who benefit from the
 
19 organization's unbiased, comprehensive, and professionally
 
20 delivered services.
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           2085
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      The legislature further finds that these necessary services
 
 2 are in danger of being lost by the year 2003 due to federal
 
 3 funding cuts under the Assistive Technology Act of 1998: a
 
 4 twenty-five per cent cut in federal fiscal year 1999-2000, a
 
 5 fifty per cent cut in federal fiscal year 2000-2001, and a cut at
 
 6 the 2000-2001 level until 2003 when the federal assistance is
 
 7 scheduled to sunset.
 
 8      The legislature recognizes that the Assistive Technology
 
 9 Resource Centers of Hawaii, throughout its nearly nine years of
 
10 service, has provided unique and necessary services, developed
 
11 critical areas of expertise, and established references of
 
12 lasting value to Hawaii and its people through:
 
13      (1)  Overseeing and monitoring systemic change relating to
 
14           assistive technology in the State;
 
15      (2)  Establishing an initial assistive technology resource
 
16           center with Macintosh and PC computers that are fully
 
17           accessible to all persons, including those with
 
18           disabilities;
 
19      (3)  Creating eight assistive technology equipment loan
 
20           banks on four islands to educate consumers about types
 
21           of assistive technology and allow consumers to try out
 
22           a product before making a purchase;
 

 
 
 
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                                     S.B. NO.           2085
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      (4)  Offering Hawaii assistive technology loan programs for
 
 2           guaranteed loans for persons who need assistive devices
 
 3           or services but who are unable to find another funding
 
 4           source;
 
 5      (5)  Establishing the "News Line for the Blind," a unique
 
 6           new service that provides the opportunity for blind
 
 7           persons, persons with limited vision, and persons with
 
 8           other disabilities limiting movement to be able to read
 
 9           local and national newspapers;
 
10      (6)  Drafting and advocating passage of the Assistive
 
11           Technology Warranty Act, which ensures a one-year
 
12           warranty on all assistive devices sold in the State;
 
13      (7)  Drafting and advocating approval of S.C.R. No. 18
 
14           (1999), that requests the Governor to include assistive
 
15           technology language in all appropriate administrative
 
16           measures, and requests the department of business,
 
17           economic development, and tourism to develop assistive
 
18           technology devices in businesses;
 
19      (8)  Hosting the U.S./Japan Common Agenda Conference on
 
20           Assistive Technology that explored ways in which the
 
21           two countries can collaborate to make assistive
 
22           technology available and accessible;
 

 
 
 
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                                     S.B. NO.           2085
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      (9)  Developing the "Tools for Life Expo," that brings
 
 2           mainland vendors to Hawaii, enabling four thousand five
 
 3           hundred persons to view and try-out assistive
 
 4           technology;
 
 5     (10)  Holding symposiums to identify barriers that keep
 
 6           assistive technology vendors and entrepreneurs out of
 
 7           Hawaii and the Pacific basin, and to work towards a
 
 8           solution to this problem;
 
 9     (11)  Creating "DiversAbilities," a unique collaboration
 
10           among four nonprofit disability agencies who combine
 
11           efforts to greatly improve the opportunities for
 
12           persons with disabilities;
 
13     (12)  Establishing and maintaining a statewide assistive
 
14           technology information and referral resource which now
 
15           serves in excess of fifty thousand consumers, family
 
16           members, and professionals per year;
 
17     (13)  Conducting training on assistive technology for
 
18           department of education and university-level continuing
 
19           education training;
 
20     (14)  Conducting training to consumers and professionals
 
21           about selection and use of assistive technology, as
 
22           well as strategies for effective advocacy;
 
23     (15)  Producing a twelve-hour television series over two
 
24           years entitled "A.T. Your Fingertips" for the
 
25           University of Hawaii distance learning program;
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           2085
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1     (16)  Contracting with Hawaii Centers for Independent Living
 
 2           to conduct independent living assistive technology
 
 3           assessments and to train their staff on assistive
 
 4           technology assessments;
 
 5     (17)  Conducting leadership and technology management
 
 6           workshops for persons with a disability to teach
 
 7           leadership and advocacy skills;
 
 8     (18)  Publishing "Na Mea Hana Kokua I Ka Kupuna: Helpful
 
 9           Tools for Senior Citizens," a user friendly guide to
 
10           assistive technology specifically aimed at the common
 
11           needs of senior citizens;
 
12     (19)  Creating and distributing "The Vision Book: Information
 
13           for Persons who are Blind or Have Low Vision" to
 
14           consumers and to ophthalmologists throughout the state;
 
15     (20)  Providing free legal and advocacy assistance to
 
16           consumers who are experiencing difficulty in obtaining
 
17           assistive technology through a contract with the
 
18           Protection and Advocacy Agency;
 
19     (21)  Serving as representatives on the State Independent
 
20           Living Council, Rehabilitation Association of Hawaii
 
21           Board of Directors, Telecommunications Advisory Group,
 
22           Hard-of-Hearing Coalition, Workforce Improvement Act
 
23           Special Needs Committee, and others;
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           2085
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1     (22)  Establishing training partnerships with community
 
 2           children's councils;
 
 3     (23)  Involving persons with disabilities in the advocacy
 
 4           role through participation in Partners in Policy and
 
 5           the Hawaii State Planning Council on Developmental
 
 6           Disabilities;
 
 7     (24)  Creating and maintaining an interactive web site that
 
 8           links Assistive Technology Resource Centers of Hawaii
 
 9           and other assistive technology resources with the
 
10           community; and
 
11     (25)  Conducting workshops on assistive technology at
 
12           national conferences.
 
13      The legislature further finds that the Assistive Technology
 
14 Resource Centers of Hawaii has served "de facto" for almost nine
 
15 years as Hawaii's statewide resource for persons with
 
16 disabilities and their families, as well as for anyone else with
 
17 an interest regarding all aspects of assistive technology devices
 
18 and services without benefit of support from state sources.
 
19      The legislature recognizes that the federal scheme over time
 
20 with regard to disability-related organizations such as State
 
21 Planning Council on Developmental Disabilities and Centers for
 
22 Independent Living has been to continue its projects through some
 
23 type of partnership with the State.  In anticipation of this or
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           2085
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1 similar approach for assistive technology, the legislature
 
 2 believes that it has an obligation to persons with disabilities,
 
 3 as well as to those related to, or caring for or about, to ensure
 
 4 that the services provided by Assistive Technology Resource
 
 5 Centers of Hawaii remain available with or without continued
 
 6 federal assistance.
 
 7      The purpose of this Act is to designate the Assistive
 
 8 Technology Resource Centers of Hawaii as the official state
 
 9 assistive technology organization.
 
10      SECTION 2.  Chapter 348, Hawaii Revised Statutes, is amended
 
11 by adding a new section to be appropriately designated and to
 
12 read as follows:
 
13      "§348-    Statewide council on assistive technology.  There
 
14 is established within the department of labor and industrial
 
15 relations a statewide council on assistive technology.  The
 
16 council shall act as the board of directors for the Assistive
 
17 Technology Resource Centers of Hawaii.  The council shall consist
 
18 of nineteen members appointed by the governor without regard to
 
19 sections 26-34 and 78-4.  The members shall include:
 
20      (1)  The governor's special advisor of technology
 
21           development;
 
22      (2)  At least one representative from state agencies that
 
23           provide services for individuals with disabilities
 

 
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                                     S.B. NO.           2085
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1           including but not limited to the directors of
 
 2           education, health, labor and industrial relations, and
 
 3           human services, or their designees;
 
 4      (3)  At least one individual representing parents and
 
 5           guardians of individuals with disabilities;
 
 6      (4)  At least one individual representing advocates of and
 
 7           for individuals with disabilities;
 
 8      (5)  At least one representative from private business; and
 
 9      (6)  At least one representative from private organizations
 
10           that provide services;
 
11 provided that the council shall include at least one member from
 
12 each county; and provided further that a majority of the council
 
13 shall be individuals with disabilities who are not employed by
 
14 any state agency or the Assistive Technology Resource Center of
 
15 Hawaii.
 
16      (b)  Each member shall serve a term of three years and may
 
17 not serve more than two consecutive full terms.
 
18      (c)  The council shall elect a chairperson and other
 
19 officers as appropriate from the membership.
 
20      (d)  The council members shall serve without compensation
 
21 but shall be reimbursed for reasonable expenses, including travel
 
22 expenses, necessary for the performance of their duties.
 

 
 
 
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                                     S.B. NO.           2085
                                                        
                                                        

 
 1      (e)  The council shall:
 
 2      (1)  Develop and submit a state plan jointly with the
 
 3           Assistive Technology Resource Centers of Hawaii, that
 
 4           shall include but not be limited to a strategy for
 
 5           self-sufficiency;
 
 6      (2)  Monitor, review, and evaluate the implementation of the
 
 7           state plan by the Assistive Technology Resource Centers
 
 8           of Hawaii;
 
 9      (3)  Coordinate activities with other state advisory
 
10           councils relating to disabilities; and
 
11      (4)  Submit periodic reports as requested by the governor,
 
12           the legislature, or by law."
 
13      SECTION 3.  New statutory material is underscored.
 
14      SECTION 4.  This Act shall take effect upon its approval.
 
15 
 
16                           INTRODUCED BY:  _______________________