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tions of higher education whose minority student enrollment
is at least 50 percent.
‘‘SEC. 212. TECHNOLOGY TRANSFER.
‘‘The Secretary shall enter into an agreement with an
organization whose primary function is to promote technology
transfer from, and cooperation among, Federal laboratories
(as defined in section 4(6) of the Stevenson-Wydler Tech-
nology Innovation Act of 1980 (15 U.S.C. 3703(6))), under
which funds shall be provided to promote technology transfer
that will spur the development of assistive technology devices.
‘‘SEC. 213. DEVICE AND EQUIPMENT REDISTRIBUTION INFOR-
MATION SYSTEMS AND RECYCLING CENTERS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall make grants to,
or enter into contracts or cooperative agreements with, public
agencies, private entities, or institutions of higher education
for the purpose of developing and establishing recycling
projects.
‘‘(b) PROJECT ACTIVITIES.—Such recycling projects may
include—
‘‘(1) a system for accepting, on an unconditional
gift basis, assistive technology devices, including a proc-
ess for valuing the devices and evaluating their use and
potential;
‘‘(2) a system for storing and caring for such de-
vices;
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‘‘(3) an information system (including computer
databases) by which local educational agencies, rehabili-
tation entities, local community-based organizations,
independent living centers, and other entities, would be
informed, on a periodic and timely basis, about the avail-
ability and nature of the devices currently held; and
‘‘(4) a system that makes such devices available to
consumers and the entities listed in paragraph (3), and
provides for tracking each device throughout the useful
life of the device.
‘‘(c) MULTIPLE PROVIDERS.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—With respect to activities fund-
ed under this section, an agency, entity, or institution
may utilize a single service provider or may establish a
system of service providers.
‘‘(2) ASSURANCES.—If an agency, entity, or institu-
tion uses multiple providers, the agency, entity, or insti-
tution shall assure that—
‘‘(A) all consumers within a State will receive
equal access to services, regardless of the geo-
graphic location or socioeconomic status of the con-
sumers; and
‘‘(B) all activities of the providers will be co-
ordinated and monitored by the agency, entity, or
institution.
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‘‘(d) OTHER LAWS.—Nothing in this section shall affect
the provision of services or devices pursuant to title I of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (29 U.S.C. 720 et seq.) or part
B of the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (20
U.S.C. 1411 et seq.).
‘‘(e) EXISTING PROGRAMS.—Public agencies, private en-
tities, or institutions of higher education that have estab-
lished recycling programs prior to receiving assistance under
this section may use funds made available under this section
to extend and strengthen such programs through grants, con-
tracts, or agreements under this section.
‘‘SEC. 214. BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES FOR INDIVIDUALS WITH
DISABILITIES.
‘‘The Secretary may make grants to individuals with dis-
abilities to enable the individuals to establish or operate com-
mercial or other enterprises that develop or market assistive
technology devices or assistive technology services.
‘‘SEC. 215. PRODUCTS OF UNIVERSAL DESIGN.
‘‘The Secretary may make grants to commercial or other
enterprises and institutions of higher education for the re-
search and development of products of universal design. In
awarding such grants, the Secretary shall give preference to
enterprises that are owned or operated by individuals with
disabilities.
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‘‘SEC. 216. GOVERNING STANDARDS FOR ACTIVITIES.
‘‘Persons and entities that carry out activities pursuant
to this subtitle shall—
‘‘(1) be held to the same consumer-responsive
standards as the persons and entities carrying out pro-
grams under title I;
‘‘(2) make available to individuals with disabilities
and their family members, guardians, advocates, and au-
thorized representatives information concerning tech-
nology-related assistance in a form that will allow such
individuals with disabilities to effectively use such infor-
mation;
‘‘(3) in preparing such information for dissemina-
tion, consider the media-related needs of individuals with
disabilities who have sensory and cognitive limitations
and consider the use of auditory materials, including
audio cassettes, visual materials, including video cas-
settes and video discs, and braille materials; and
‘‘(4) coordinate their efforts with the consumer-re-
sponsive comprehensive statewide program of technology-
related assistance for individuals with disabilities in any
State in which the activities are carried out.
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‘‘Subtitle C—Authorization of
Appropriations
‘‘SEC. 221. AUTHORIZATION OF APPROPRIATIONS.
‘‘There are authorized to be appropriated to carry out
this title $10,000,000 for fiscal year 1994, and such sums as
may be necessary for each of the fiscal years 1995 through
1998.’’.
TITLE III—ALTERNATIVE
FINANCING MECHANISMS
SEC. 301. ALTERNATIVE FINANCING MECHANISMS AUTHOR-
IZED.
The Act (29 U.S.C. 2201 et seq.) is amended by adding
at the end the following:
‘‘TITLE III—ALTERNATIVE
FINANCING MECHANISMS
‘‘SEC. 301. GENERAL AUTHORITY TO PROVIDE ALTERNATIVE FI-
NANCING MECHANISMS.
‘‘(a) IN GENERAL.—The Secretary shall award grants to
States to pay for the Federal share of the cost of the estab-
lishment and administration of, or the expansion and admin-
istration of, alternative financing mechanisms (referred to in-
dividually in this title as an ‘alternative financing mecha-
nism’) to allow individuals with disabilities and their family
members, guardians, and authorized representatives to pur-
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chase assistive technology devices and assistive technology
services.
‘‘(b) MECHANISMS.—The alternative financing mecha-
nisms may include—
‘‘(1) a low-interest loan fund;
‘‘(2) a revolving fund;
‘‘(3) a loan insurance program;
‘‘(4) a partnership with private entities for the pur-
chase, lease, or other acquisition of assistive technology
devices or the provision of assistive technology services;
and
‘‘(5) other alternative financing mechanisms that
meet the requirements of this Act and are approved by
the Secretary.
‘‘(c) CONSTRUCTION.—Nothing in this section shall be
construed as affecting the authority of a State to establish
alternative financing mechanisms under title I.
‘‘SEC. 302. APPLICATIONS AND PROCEDURES.
‘‘(a) ELIGIBILITY.—States that receive or have received
grants under section 102 or 103 shall be eligible to compete
for grants under section 301.
‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS.—The Secretary shall make grants
under section 301 under such conditions as the Secretary
shall, by regulation, determine, except that—
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‘‘(1) a State may receive only 1 grant under section
301 and may only receive such a grant for 1 year under
this title;
‘‘(2) a State that desires to receive a grant under
section 301 shall submit an application to the Secretary,
at such time and in such manner as the Secretary may
require, containing—
‘‘(A) an assurance that the State will provide
at least 50 percent of the cost described in section
301(a), as set forth in section 304, for the purpose
of supporting the alternative financing mechanisms
that are covered by the grant;
‘‘(B) an assurance that an alternative financ-
ing mechanism will continue on a permanent basis;
and
‘‘(C) a description of the degree to which the
alternative financing mechanisms to be funded
under section 301 will expand and emphasize
consumer choice and control;
‘‘(3) a State that receives a grant under section
301—
‘‘(A) shall enter into a contract, with a commu-
nity-based organization (or a consortia of such or-
ganizations) that has individuals with disabilities in-
volved at all organizational levels, for the adminis-
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tration of the alternative financing mechanisms that
are supported under section 301; and
‘‘(B) shall require that such community-based
organization enter into a contract, for the purpose
of expanding opportunities under section 301 and
facilitating the administration of the alternative fi-
nancing mechanisms, with—
‘‘(i) commercial lending institutions or or-
ganizations; or
‘‘(ii) State financing agencies; and
‘‘(4) a contract between a State that receives a
grant under section 301 and a community-based organi-
zation described in paragraph (3)—
‘‘(A) shall include a provision regarding the ad-
ministration of the Federal and the non-Federal
shares in a manner consistent with the provisions of
this title; and
‘‘(B) shall include any provision required by
the Secretary dealing with oversight and evaluation
as may be necessary to protect the financial inter-
ests of the United States.
‘‘SEC. 303. GRANT ADMINISTRATION REQUIREMENTS.
‘‘A State that receives a grant under section 301, to-
gether with any community-based organization that enters
into a contract with the State to administer an alternative fi-
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nancing mechanism that is supported under section 301, shall
develop and submit to the Secretary, pursuant to a timeline
that the Secretary may establish or, if the Secretary does not
establish a timeline, within the 12-month period beginning on
the date that the State receives the grant, the following poli-
cies or procedures for administration of the mechanism:
‘‘(1) A procedure to review and process in a timely
fashion requests for financial assistance for both imme-
diate and potential technology needs, including consider-
ation of methods to reduce paperwork and duplication of
effort, particularly relating to need, eligibility, and deter-
mination of the specific device or service to be provided.
‘‘(2) A policy and procedure to assure that access
to the alternative financing mechanism shall be given to
consumers regardless of type of disability, age, location
of residence in the State, or type of assistive technology
device or assistive technology service requested and shall
be made available to applicants of all income levels.
‘‘(3) A procedure to assure consumer-controlled
oversight.
‘‘SEC. 304. FINANCIAL REQUIREMENTS.
‘‘(a) FEDERAL SHARE.—The Federal share of the costs
described in section 301(a) shall be not more than 50 per-
cent.
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‘‘(b) REQUIREMENTS.—A State that desires to receive a
grant under section 301 shall include in the application sub-
mitted under section 302 assurances that the State will meet
the following requirements regarding funds supporting an al-
ternative funding mechanism assisted under section 301:
‘‘(1) The State shall make available the funds nec-
essary to provide the non-Federal share of the costs de-
scribed in section 301(a), in cash, from State, local, or
private sources.
‘‘(2) Funds that support an alternative financing
mechanism assisted under section 301—
‘‘(A) shall be used to supplement and not sup-
plant other Federal, State, and local public funds
expended to provide public funding options; and
‘‘(B) may only be distributed through the en-
tity carrying out the alternative financing mecha-
nism as a payer of last resort for assistance that is
not available in a reasonable or timely fashion from
any other Federal, State, or local source.
‘‘(3) All funds that support an alternative financing
mechanism assisted under section 301, including funds
repaid during the life of the mechanism, shall be placed
in a permanent separate account and identified and ac-
counted for separately from any other fund. Funds with-
in this account may be invested in low-risk securities in
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which a regulated insurance company may invest under
the law of the State for which the grant is provided and
shall be administered with the same judgment and care
that a person of prudence, discretion, and intelligence
would exercise in the management of the financial af-
fairs of such person.
‘‘(4) Funds comprised of the principal and interest
from an account described in paragraph (3) shall be
available to support an alternative financing mechanism
assisted under section 301. Any interest or investment
income that accrues on such funds after such funds have
been placed under the control of the entity administering
the mechanism, but before such funds are distributed for
purposes of supporting the mechanism, shall be the
property of the entity administering the mechanism and
shall not be taken into account by any officer or em-
ployee of the Federal Government for any purpose.
‘‘SEC. 305. AMOUNT OF GRANTS.
‘‘(a) AMOUNT.—
‘‘(1) IN GENERAL.—Except as provided in para-
graph (2), a grant under section 301 shall be for an
amount that is not more than $500,000.
‘‘(2) INCREASES.—Such a grant may be increased
by any additional funds made available under subsection
(b).