Honorable Calvin K.Y. Say

Speaker, House of Representatives

Twenty-First State Legislature

Regular Session of 2001

State of Hawaii

Sir:

Your Committee on Human Services and Housing, to which was referred H.B. No. 779 entitled:

begs leave to report as follows:

The purpose of this bill is to restore state-funded QUEST medical insurance eligibility to qualified immigrants who arrived in the United States after August 22, 1996.

Upon further consideration, your Committee has amended the bill by deleting the original contents and replacing it with language that adds a new part to chapter 346, Hawaii Revised Statutes, to require state agencies and organizations that receive state funds to provide blind or visually impaired individuals access to information technology equipment.

Your Committee finds that presenting electronic data solely in a visual format limits access by individuals who are blind or visually impaired, putting them at a disadvantage in education and employment opportunities. Alternatives using visual and nonvisual means that include electronic technologies like screen readers, Braille screens, voice recognition systems, hearing assistance devices, and HTML coding should be provided to increase accessibility.

As affirmed by the record of votes of the members of your Committee on Human Services and Housing that is attached to this report, your Committee is in accord with the intent and purpose of H.B. No. 779, as amended herein, and recommends that it pass Second Reading in the form attached hereto as H.B. No. 779, H.D. 1, and be referred to the Committee on Finance.