A. There is hereby re-created, to continue until July 1, 2020, the Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Advisory Council. The Advisory Council shall study and make recommendations concerning the accessibility for the disabled to publicly produced and provided electronic and information technology and to provide advice and assistance to the Information Services Division of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services on the development of accessibility standards and complaint procedures as provided for in Section 34.28 of this title.

B. The Advisory Council shall be composed of the following members:

1. Two members of the House of Representatives, appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

2. Two members of the Senate, appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate;

3. The Chief Information Officer, or a designee;

4. The Director of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services, or a designee;

5. The Director of the State Department of Rehabilitation Services, or a designee;

6. The Superintendent of Public Instruction, or a designee;

7. The Director of the Oklahoma Department of Career and Technology Education, or a designee;

8. The Director of the Library for the Blind and Physically Handicapped with the State Department of Rehabilitation Services, or a designee;

9. The Director of the Office of Disability Concerns, or a designee;

10. A representative of OneNet, the state telecommunications network within the Oklahoma State Regents for Higher Education;

11. The Director for Oklahoma Able Tech, the state assistive technology program located at Oklahoma State University;

12. A representative of state agency web managers appointed by the Governor from a list submitted by a state agency web manager group;

13. A representative of an association representing education technology administrators appointed by the Speaker of the House of Representatives;

14. A representative of an association of distance learning education professionals appointed by the President Pro Tempore of the Senate;

15. Two representatives of corporations or vendors of information or electronic technology hardware or software who are knowledgeable or have experience in the field of assistive technology appointed by the Governor;

16. A representative of a corporation or vendor specializing in assistive technology appointed by the Governor; and

17. Four representatives who are individuals with a disability, one who is blind or visually impaired, one who is deaf or hard of hearing, one with a mobility disability, and one with a cognitive disability and all of whom are users of information or electronic technology appointed by the Governor.

C. Members who were serving on the Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Task Force as of July 1, 2004, shall automatically be appointed to serve on the Electronic and Information Technology Accessibility Advisory Council after July 1, 2004.

D. The Advisory Council shall:

1. Make recommendation on action, including legislative action, needed to ensure that all electronic and information technology produced, procured, or developed by state agencies are accessible to the disabled;

2. Identify disability accessibility standards that are emerging or fully adopted by national standard organizations;

3. Review and make recommendations on disability accessibility initiatives and legislation undertaken in other states; and

4. Provide advice and assistance to the Information Services Division of the Office of Management and Enterprise Services on the development of accessibility standards and complaint procedures as provided for in Section 34.28 of this title.

E. The Speaker of the House of Representatives and the President Pro Tempore of the Senate shall each designate a cochair from among the members of the Advisory Council.

F. A majority of the members of the Advisory Council shall constitute a quorum. A majority of the members present at a meeting may act for the Advisory Council.

G. Meetings of the Advisory Council shall be called by either cochair.

H. Proceedings of all meetings of the Advisory Council shall comply with the provisions of the Oklahoma Open Meeting Act.

I. The Advisory Council may divide into subcommittees in furtherance of its purpose.

J. Staff of the Oklahoma Able Tech, the state assistive technology program located at Oklahoma State University, shall serve as primary staff for the Advisory Council. Appropriate personnel from the Information Services Division shall also assist with the work of the Advisory Council.

K. The Advisory Council may use the expertise and services of the staffs of the Oklahoma House of Representatives and State Senate and may, as necessary, seek the advice and services of experts in the field as well as other necessary professional and clerical staff.

L. All departments, officers, agencies, and employees of this state shall cooperate with the Advisory Council in fulfilling its duties and responsibilities including, but not limited to, providing any information, records, or reports requested by the Advisory Council.

M. Members of the Advisory Council shall receive no compensation for their service, but shall receive travel reimbursement as follows:

1. Legislative members of the Advisory Council shall be reimbursed for necessary travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in accordance with the provisions of Section 456 of Title 74 of the Oklahoma Statutes; and

2. Nonlegislative members of the Advisory Council shall be reimbursed by their appointing authorities or respective agencies for necessary travel expenses incurred in the performance of their duties in accordance with the State Travel Reimbursement Act.

Added by Laws 2004, c. 128, § 4, eff. July 1, 2004. Amended by Laws 2006, c. 266, § 14, eff. July 1, 2006; Laws 2007, c. 98, § 3, eff. Nov. 1, 2007; Laws 2008, c. 330, § 1, emerg. eff. June 2, 2008; Laws 2009, c. 33, § 1, emerg. eff. April 13, 2009. Renumbered from § 41.5t.2 of this title by Laws 2009, c. 441, § 64, eff. July 1, 2009. Amended by Laws 2009, c. 451, § 18, eff. April 5, 2010; Laws 2010, c. 25, § 1; Laws 2012, c. 304, § 362; Laws 2014, c. 59, § 1.

NOTE: Laws 2009, c. 451, § 26, provides: "The provisions of Sections 3 through 15, 17 through 20, 22 and 23 of this act shall be effective and shall become operative on the effective date of the appointment of the first Chief Information Officer by the Governor as provided for in Section 2 of this act." The first Chief Information Officer was appointed by the Governor on April 5, 2010.