File #: Int 0843-2024    Version: * Name: Establishing a digital inclusion officer at every city agency
Type: Introduction Status: Committee
Committee: Committee on Technology
On agenda: 4/18/2024
Enactment date: Law number:
Title: A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing a digital inclusion officer at every city agency
Sponsors: Public Advocate Jumaane Williams, Diana I. Ayala, Farah N. Louis, Lincoln Restler
Council Member Sponsors: 4
Summary: This bill would require that each agency designate at least one employee as a digital inclusion officer who would be responsible for coordinating efforts to ensure accessibility of websites and other digital content made publicly available by such agency. Each digital inclusion officer would receive training from the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities at least annually. In addition, the Mayor's Office for People with Disabilities would be required to have at least one employee with expertise in digital accessibility who would be responsible for coordinating with the digital inclusion officers to monitor and improve the accessibility of city websites and other digital content.
Indexes: Other Appointment Required
Attachments: 1. Summary of Int. No. 843, 2. Int. No. 843, 3. April 18, 2024 - Stated Meeting Agenda, 4. Hearing Transcript - Stated Meeting 4-18-24, 5. Minutes of the Stated Meeting - April 18, 2024
Date Ver.Prime SponsorAction ByActionResultAction DetailsMeeting DetailsMultimedia
4/19/2024*Public Advocate Jumaane Williams City Council Re-referred to Committee by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
4/18/2024*Public Advocate Jumaane Williams City Council Referred to Comm by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available
4/18/2024*Public Advocate Jumaane Williams City Council Introduced by Council  Action details Meeting details Not available

Int. No. 843

 

By the Public Advocate (Mr. Williams) and Council Members Ayala, Louis and Restler

 

A Local Law to amend the administrative code of the city of New York, in relation to establishing a digital inclusion officer at every city agency

 

Be it enacted by the Council as follows:

 

Section 1. Subdivision a of section 23-802 of the administrative code of the city of New York, as added by local law number 26 for the year 2016, is amended to read as follows:

a. The mayor or the mayor's designee shall adopt a protocol for websites maintained by or on behalf of the city or a city agency relating to website accessibility for persons with disabilities. Such protocol shall provide for agency websites to use either of the following standards: [section 1194.22] appendix D to part 1194 of title 36 of the code of federal regulations or the Web Content Accessibility Guidelines (WCAG) [2.0] 2.1 Level AA, developed by the Worldwide Web Consortium, the most recent update thereto, or any successor standards, provided that the adopted protocol may differ from these standards in specific instances when the mayor or mayor's designee determines, after consulting with experts in website design and reasonable accommodations for people with disabilities, and the holding of a public hearing, that such differences will provide effective communication for people with disabilities, and that such differences are documented in such protocol. Such protocol shall be made available online. This section does not require an agency to take any action that would result in a fundamental alteration in the nature of a service, program, or activity or in undue financial and administrative burdens.

§ 2. Section 23-802 of the administrative code of the city of New York is amended by adding new subdivisions c and d to read as follows:

c. The head of each agency shall designate at least one employee as such agency's digital inclusion officer, to coordinate efforts to ensure accessibility of websites and other digital content made publicly available by such agency. Agencies with fifty or fewer employees may designate an employee of the city to serve as the digital inclusion officer for more than one of such agencies. Each digital inclusion officer shall confer with, and receive periodic training from, the mayor's office for people with disabilities. Each digital inclusion officer shall receive such training at least annually. The mayor's office for people with disabilities and each agency shall post on their websites the name, office address, electronic mail address, and telephone number of the employee or employees designated as the digital inclusion officer. The functions of the digital inclusion officer shall include, but not be limited to:

1. Reviewing agency websites and other digital content made publicly available by the agency for compliance with the standards set forth in subdivision a;

2. Developing agency policies and procedures to ensure compliance with the standards set forth in subdivision a;

3. Conducting periodic training for relevant agency staff on digital inclusion and accessibility of websites and other digital content;

4. Documenting and responding to complaints communicated to the agency related to digital inclusion and accessibility of agency websites or other digital content made publicly available by the agency;

5. Providing analysis and recommendations to the head of the agency and to the mayor's office for people with disabilities to resolve issues relating to digital inclusion and accessibility of websites and other digital content; and

6. Any other functions as may be assigned by the head of the agency.

d. The mayor's office for people with disabilities shall designate at least one employee with expertise in digital accessibility to coordinate with digital inclusion officers to monitor and improve the accessibility of websites and other digital content made publicly available by agencies.

§ 3. This local law takes effect 120 days after it becomes law.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Session 13

LS # 2674

1/19/2024

 

Session 12

IB

LS # 2674

3/14/2022 2:41 pm