PRINTER'S NO. 392
THE GENERAL ASSEMBLY OF PENNSYLVANIA
HOUSE RESOLUTION
No.
74
Session of
2019
INTRODUCED BY CRUZ, YOUNGBLOOD, HILL-EVANS, McNEILL, KINSEY,
MURT AND MARKOSEK, FEBRUARY 11, 2019
REFERRED TO COMMITTEE ON HUMAN SERVICES, FEBRUARY 11, 2019
A CONCURRENT RESOLUTION
Declaring that the General Assembly of the Commonwealth of
Pennsylvania is committed to equal rights for individuals
with cognitive disabilities to technology and information
access and calling for implementation of these rights with
deliberate speed.
WHEREAS, Nearly 30 million United States citizens have
cognitive disabilities, which include intellectual disability,
severe, persistent mental illness, pervasive developmental
disability, learning disability, brain injury, stroke and
neurodegenerative disorder, such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's
disease; and
WHEREAS, The functional challenges that can accompany the
various types of cognitive disabilities include difficulties
with attentiveness, memory, comprehension, processing, problem-
solving, reading and language; and
WHEREAS, The disruptive convergence of computing and
communication technologies has substantially altered how people
acquire, utilize and disseminate knowledge and information; and
WHEREAS, Ninety-six percent of working Americans now use
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information and communication technology, while the vast
majority of individuals with cognitive disabilities have limited
or no access to comprehensible information and usable
communication technologies; and
WHEREAS, Access to comprehensible information and usable
communication technologies is necessary for all individuals in
our society, particularly for individuals with cognitive
disabilities, to promote independence and self-determination and
to engage meaningfully in major aspects of life, such as
education, health promotion, employment, recreation and civic
participation; and
WHEREAS, To ensure individuals with cognitive disabilities
are entitled to inclusion and equal treatment in our democratic
society, Federal laws, such as the Americans with Disabilities
Act of 1990 (ADA), the Individuals with Disabilities Education
Act (IDEA), the Developmental Disabilities Assistance and Bill
of Rights Act of 2000 (DD Act), sections 501, 504 and 508 of the
Rehabilitation Act of 1973 and the Twenty-First Century
Communications and Video Accessibility Act of 2010 (CVAA), as
well as State and local laws, have been enacted and court
decisions have been made; and
WHEREAS, In order to enhance user independence, integration
and productivity, while reducing stigmas, individuals with
cognitive disabilities must have access to commercially
available devices and software that incorporate principles of
universal design, such as flexibility and ease of use for all;
and
WHEREAS, Technology and information access by individuals
with cognitive disabilities must be guided by standards and best
practices, such as personalization and compatibility across
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devices and platforms, and through the application of
innovations, including automated and predictive technologies;
and
WHEREAS, Security and privacy must be assured and managed to
protect the civil rights and personal dignity of individuals
with cognitive disabilities; and
WHEREAS, Enhanced public and private funding is urgently
needed to allow individuals with cognitive disabilities to
utilize technology and access information as a natural
consequence of their rights to inclusion in our society; and
WHEREAS, Ensuring access to technology and information for
the approximately 30 million individuals with cognitive
disabilities in the United States will create new markets and
employment opportunities, decrease dependency on public
services, reduce health care costs and improve the inclusion,
independence, productivity, self-determination and quality of
life of individuals with cognitive disabilities; therefore be it
RESOLVED (the Senate concurring), That the General Assembly
of the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania affirm our commitment to
equal rights for individuals with cognitive disabilities to
technology and information access and call for implementation of
these rights with deliberate speed; and be it further
RESOLVED, That copies of this resolution be transmitted to
the Governor, the presiding officers of each house of Congress,
each member of Congress from Pennsylvania and the Chair of the
Federal Communications Commission.
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