10 million per year for the 21st century communications and video accessibility act
the U.S. Congress has passed the “Twenty-first Century Communications and Video Accessibility Act.” On September 28, the bill cleared its final legislative hurdle by passing the House and is expected to go soon to President Obama for signature.
The legislation requires captioned television programs to be captioned also when delivered over the Internet and requires video description on television for people with vision loss.
But the bill also allocates $10 million per year for communications equipment used by people who are deaf-blind, but why is this needed all TV sets are closed captioned and we pay for free phone equipment on a tax on our phone bills. The li of congress rents out free brail books and free audio books complete with free players. All at tax payer expence. Why do we have to spend 10 mill more per year more? What is this money going to be wasted on?
It also requires emergency information is accessible to individuals who are blind or have low vision, Strange since emergency broadcast info is already broadcast in audio and text so what are they talking about?
It also requires accessible user interfaces on mobile browsers that connect to the Internet, and requires hearing aid compatibility of ‘smart phones,’ among several other provisions.
Without the full rules its unclear what else it will do besides waste 10 mill a year for something thats unneeded.
The UK has laws that require websites to be in text so text readers can read them which basicaly ban java,flash and many menu systems unless you create a duplicate site. Will this law also rplace rules on website owners. Its unclear.
