Florida state agency accessibility of electronic information and information technology

The executive, legislative and judicial branches of state government must, when developing, competitively procuring, maintaining or using electronic information or information technology acquired on or after July 1, 2006, ensure that state employees with disabilities have access to information and data comparable to the access and use by state employees who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency.

Individuals with disabilities who are members of the public seeking information or services from state agencies must be provided with access to and use of information and data comparable to that provided to the public who are not individuals with disabilities, unless an undue burden would be imposed on the agency.

Each state agency must develop, procure, maintain and use accessible electronic information and information technology acquired on or after July 1, 2006, except when compliance imposes an undue burden, and in that case must provide the individual with the information and data by an alternative method of access that allows the individual to use it.

Accessible electronic information and information technology means electronic information and information technology that conforms to the standards set by section 508 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973, including the federal regulations that implement it. A state agency means any agency of the executive, legislative or judicial branch of state government.

The Department of Management Services must adopt rules, with input from stakeholders, for the development, procurement, maintenance and use of accessible electronic information technology by governmental units. The part does not apply to electronic information and information technology that is acquired by a contractor and that is incidental to the contract.

The part also does not apply to the electronic information and information technology of the Department of Military Affairs or the Florida National Guard where its use involves intelligence or cryptologic activities related to national security, command and control of military forces, weapons systems or systems critical to military or intelligence missions, or to a state agency's technology whose use involves criminal intelligence activities, but in both cases routine administrative and business applications such as payroll, finance, logistics and personnel management stay covered.

The part applies to competitive solicitations issued or new systems developed by a state agency on or after July 1, 2006. Chapter 2006-227, Laws of Florida, which created these sections, took effect July 1, 2006.