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PL 105-220, 1998 HR 1385 PL 105-220, enacted on August 7, 1998, 112 Stat 936 codified
as: Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, 29 U.S.C. § 794d WORKFORCE INVESTMENT ACT OF 1998 SEC. 508.
ELECTRONIC AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY. (a) REQUIREMENTS FOR FEDERAL DEPARTMENTS AND AGENCIES.-- (1) ACCESSIBILITY.--
(A) DEVELOPMENT, PROCUREMENT, MAINTENANCE, OR USE OF ELECTRONIC AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY.--When developing, procuring,
maintaining, or using electronic and information technology, each Federal department or agency, including the United States
Postal Service, shall ensure, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the department or agency, that the electronic and
information technology allows, regardless of the type of medium of the technology-- (i) individuals with disabilities
who are Federal employees to have access to and use of information and data that is comparable to the access to and use of
the information and data by Federal employees who are not individuals with disabilities; and (ii) individuals with disabilities
who are members of the public seeking information or services from a Federal department or agency to have access to and use
of information and data that is comparable to the access to and use of the information and data by such members of the public
who are not individuals with disabilities. (B) ALTERNATIVE MEANS EFFORTS.--When development, procurement, maintenance,
or use of electronic and information technology that meets the standards published by the Access Board under paragraph (2)
would impose an undue burden, the Federal department or agency shall provide individuals with disabilities
covered by paragraph (1) with the information and data involved by an alternative means of access that allows the individual
to use the information and data. (2) ELECTRONIC AND INFORMATION TECHNOLOGY STANDARDS.-- (A) IN GENERAL.--Not later
than 18 months after the date of enactment of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998, the Architectural and Transportation
Barriers Compliance Board (referred to in this section as the 'Access Board'), after consultation with the Secretary
of Education, the Administrator of General Services, the Secretary of Commerce, the Chairman of the Federal Communications
Commission, the Secretary of Defense, and the head of any other Federal department or agency that the Access Board determines
to be appropriate, including consultation on relevant research findings, and after consultation with the electronic and information
technology industry and appropriate public or nonprofit agencies or organizations, including organizations representing individuals
with disabilities, shall issue and publish standards setting forth-- (i) for purposes of this section, a definition of
electronic and information technology that is consistent with the definition of information technology specified in section
5002(3) of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 (40 U.S.C. 1401(3)); and (ii) the technical and functional performance criteria
necessary to implement the requirements set forth in paragraph (1). (B) REVIEW AND AMENDMENT.--The Access Board shall
periodically review and, as appropriate, amend the standards required under subparagraph (A) to reflect technological advances
or changes in electronic and information technology. (3) INCORPORATION OF STANDARDS.--Not later than 6 months after the
Access Board publishes the standards required under paragraph (2), the Federal Acquisition Regulatory Council shall revise
the Federal Acquisition Regulation and each Federal department or agency shall revise the Federal procurement policies and
directives under the control of the department or agency to incorporate those standards. Not later than 6 months after the
Access Board revises any standards required under paragraph (2), the Council shall revise the Federal Acquisition Regulation
and each appropriate Federal department or agency shall revise the procurement policies and directives, as necessary, to incorporate
the revisions. (4) ACQUISITION PLANNING.--In the event that a Federal department or agency determines that compliance
with the standards issued by the Access Board under paragraph (2) relating to procurement imposes an undue burden, the documentation
by the department or agency supporting the procurement shall explain why compliance creates an undue burden. (5) EXEMPTION
FOR NATIONAL SECURITY SYSTEMS.--This section shall not apply to national security systems, as that term is
defined in section 5142 of the Clinger-Cohen Act of 1996 (40 U.S.C. 1452). (6) CONSTRUCTION.-- (A) EQUIPMENT.--In
a case in which the Federal Government provides access to the public to information or data through electronic and information
technology, nothing in this section shall be construed to require a Federal department or agency-- (i) to make equipment
owned by the Federal Government available for access and use by individuals with disabilities covered by paragraph (1) at
a location other than that where the electronic and information technology is provided to the public; or (ii) to purchase
equipment for access and use by individuals with disabilities covered by paragraph (1) at a location other than that where
the electronic and information technology is provided to the public. (B) SOFTWARE AND PERIPHERAL DEVICES.--Except as
required to comply with standards issued by the Access Board under paragraph (2), nothing in paragraph (1) requires the installation
of specific accessibility-related software or the attachment of a specific accessibility-related peripheral device at a workstation
of a Federal employee who is not an individual with a disability. (b) TECHNICAL ASSISTANCE.--The Administrator of General
Services and the Access Board shall provide technical assistance to individuals and Federal departments and agencies concerning
the requirements of this section. (c) AGENCY EVALUATIONS.--Not later than 6 months after the date of enactment of the
Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998, the head of each Federal department or agency shall evaluate the extent to which the
electronic and information technology of the department or agency is accessible to and usable by individuals with disabilities
described in subsection (a)(1), compared to the access to and use of the technology by individuals described in such subsection
who are not individuals with disabilities, and submit a report containing the evaluation to the Attorney General. (d)
REPORTS.-- (1) INTERIM REPORT.--Not later than 18 months after the date of enactment of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments
of 1998, the Attorney General shall prepare and submit to the President a report containing information on and recommendations
regarding the extent to which the electronic and information technology of the Federal Government is accessible to and usable
by individuals with disabilities described in subsection (a)(1). (2) BIENNIAL REPORTS.--Not later than 3 years after
the date of enactment of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998, and every 2 years thereafter, the Attorney General shall
prepare and submit to the President and Congress a report containing information on and recommendations regarding the state
of Federal department and agency compliance with the requirements of this section, including actions regarding individual
complaints under subsection (f). (e) COOPERATION.--Each head of a Federal department or agency (including the Access
Board, the Equal Employment Opportunity Commission, and the General Services Administration) shall provide
to the Attorney General such information as the Attorney General determines is necessary to conduct the evaluations under
subsection (c) and prepare the reports under subsection (d). (f) ENFORCEMENT.-- (1) GENERAL.-- (A) COMPLAINTS.--Effective
2 years after the date of enactment of the Rehabilitation Act Amendments of 1998, any individual with a disability may file
a complaint alleging that a Federal department or agency fails to comply with subsection (a)(1) in providing electronic and
information technology. (B) APPLICATION.--This subsection shall apply only to electronic and information technology that
is procured by a Federal department or agency not less than 2 years after the date of enactment of the Rehabilitation Act
Amendments of 1998. (2) ADMINISTRATIVE COMPLAINTS.--Complaints filed under paragraph (1) shall be filed with the Federal
department or agency alleged to be in noncompliance. The Federal department or agency receiving the complaint shall apply
the complaint procedures established to implement section 504 for resolving allegations of discrimination in a federally conducted
program or activity. (3) CIVIL ACTIONS.--The remedies, procedures, and rights set forth in sections 505(a)(2) and 505(b)
shall be the remedies, procedures, and rights available to any individual with a disability filing a complaint under paragraph
(1). (g) APPLICATION TO OTHER FEDERAL LAWS.--This section shall not be construed to limit any right, remedy, or procedure
otherwise available under any provision of Federal law (including sections 501 through 505) that provides greater or equal
protection for the rights of individuals with disabilities than this section. A Grassroot Membership Registry for Massachusetts Freelance
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