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[Federal Register: April 13, 2010 (Volume 75, Number 70)]
[Proposed Rules]               
[Page 18781-18782]
From the Federal Register Online via GPO Access [wais.access.gpo.gov]
[DOCID:fr13ap10-18]                         

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ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS COMPLIANCE BOARD

36 CFR Parts 1191, 1193, and 1194

[Docket No. 2010-1]
RIN 3014-AA37

 
Americans With Disabilities Act (ADA) Accessibility Guidelines 
for Buildings and Facilities; Telecommunications Act Accessibility 
Guidelines; Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility 
Standards

AGENCY: Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.

ACTION: Notice of hearing.

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SUMMARY: The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board 
(Access Board) will hold a public hearing on its refresh of 
accessibility criteria for information and communication technologies 
covered by the Rehabilitation Act (section 508) and the 
Telecommunications Act (section 255). The hearing will focus on a draft 
of updated standards and guidelines made available for public comment 
on March 22. As part of this rulemaking, the Board proposes to 
supplement its Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines 
to address access to self-service machines such as point-of-sales 
machines and ticketing kiosks.

DATES: The hearing will be on May 12, 2010 from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m.

ADDRESSES: The hearing will be held at the Embassy Suites, DC 
Convention Center, 900 10th Street, NW., Washington, DC 20001.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Tim Creagan, Office of Technical and 
Information Services, Architectural and Transportation Barriers 
Compliance Board, 1331 F Street, NW., suite 1000, Washington, DC 20004-
1111. Telephone number: 202-272-0016 (voice); 202-272-0082 (TTY). 
Electronic mail address: creagan@access-board.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: On March 22, 2010, the Access Board 
published an advance notice of proposed rulemaking in the Federal 
Register to begin the process of updating its standards for electronic 
and information technology covered by section 508 of the Rehabilitation 
Act Amendments of 1998 and its guidelines for telecommunications 
equipment covered by Section 255 of the Telecommunications Act of 1996. 
At part of this rulemaking, the Board is proposing to revise its 
Americans with Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines to address 
access to self-service machines used for ticketing, check-in or check-
out, seat selection, boarding passes, or ordering food in restaurants 
and cafeterias. 75 FR 13457 (March 22, 2010). The Board has released 
for public comment a draft of updated standards and guidelines which is 
available on the Board's Web site (http://www.access-board.gov/508.htm).
    The Board is responsible for developing and keeping up to date 
standards for electronic and information technology covered by section 
508 of the Rehabilitation Act. Section 508 requires access to 
electronic and information technology developed, procured, maintained, 
or used by Federal agencies and departments to the extent that it does 
not impose an undue burden. The Board's section 508 standards, which 
were originally published in 2000 and are part of the Federal 
government's procurement regulations, provide technical and functional 
performance criteria for technologies covered by the law. Section 508 
requires the Board to periodically review and amend the standards to 
reflect technological advances or changes in electronic and information 
technology.
    The Board is updating its Telecommunications Act Accessibility 
Guidelines jointly with its refresh of the section 508 standards to 
harmonize both documents and to facilitate compliance. Section 255 of 
the Telecommunications Act requires telecommunications equipment and 
customer premises equipment to be accessible to and usable by 
individuals with disabilities when it is readily achievable to do so.

[[Page 18782]]

The Board is responsible for developing and periodically updating 
accessibility guidelines for telecommunications equipment and customer 
premises equipment covered by section 255 in conjunction with the 
Federal Communications Commission. The Board first issued its 
guidelines under section 255 in 1998.
    The Board is also proposing to amend the Americans with 
Disabilities Act Accessibility Guidelines (ADAAG) to address access to 
self-service machines used for ticketing, check-in or check-out, seat 
selection, boarding passes, or ordering food in restaurants and 
cafeterias.
    The draft standards and guidelines are available for public comment 
until June 21, 2010. The Board will hold a hearing in Washington, DC 
that will provide the public an opportunity to comment on the draft 
rule. This hearing will take place during the Access Board's regularly 
scheduled Board meeting on May 12, 2010 from 9 a.m. until 12 p.m. at 
the Embassy Suites, DC Convention Center, 900 10th Street, NW., 
Washington, DC 20001. The Board previously held a hearing on the draft 
rule in San Diego, CA on March 25, 2010 in conjunction with the 25th 
Annual International Technology and Persons with Disabilities 
Conference.
    The hearing location is accessible to individuals with 
disabilities. Sign language interpreters and real-time captioning will 
be provided. For the comfort of other participants, persons attending 
the hearing are requested to refrain from using perfume, cologne, and 
other fragrances. To pre-register to testify, please contact Kathy 
Johnson at (202) 272-0041, (202) 272-0082 (TTY), or johnson@access-board.gov.

David M. Capozzi,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 2010-8309 Filed 4-12-10; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8150-01-P
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