,i  #aaf? ,,congress  #a/ ,session  ,h4 
,r4 #cibi  ,,9 ,,! ,,h\se ,,(           
,,repres5tatives  ,july #bd1 #bjai ,ms4 
,s*ak[sky 7= h]self1 ,mr4 ,de,saulnier1 
& ,ms4 ,blunt ,ro*e/]7 introduc$ !      
foll[+ bill2 :i* 0 ref]r$ to !          
,committee on ,en]gy & ,comm]ce  ,a     
,,bill  ,to direct ! ,ar*itectural &    
,transportation ,b>ri]s ,compliance     
,bo>d to develop a m9imum nonvisual     
access /&>d = home use m$ical devices1  
ex]cise equipm5t1 & home appliances1 & =
 o!r purposes4  #a4 ,%ort title ,?is    
,act may be cit$ z ! ,great] ,access &  
,indep5d5ce ?r\gh ,nonvisual ,access    
,te*nology ,act ( #bjai or ! ,,ga9 ,act4
  #b4 ,f9d+s ,congress f9ds ! foll[+3   
7#a7 ,rapid advances 9 digital te*nology
 h l$ to increas+ly complex us]         
int]faces = ev]yday products su* z home 
use m$ical devices1 home appliances1 &  
ex]cise equipm5t4 ,_m new devices 9 ^!  
categories utilize displays t c only be 
op]at$ visually & require us] int]action
 ) on-scre5 m5us & o!r int]faces t are  

inaccessible to consum]s :o are bl9d4   
7#b7 ,! use ( int]faces :i* mu/ be      
op]at$ visually on ex]cise equipm5t su* 
z treadmills & elliptical ma*9es make ^!
 devices unusable by p :o are bl9d4 ,?is
 lack ( access is a pot5tial ?reat to a 
bl9d p]son improv+ _! heal? & a b>ri] to
 ma9ta9+ _! physical well-be+4  7#c7 ,! 
use ( int]faces :i* mu/ be op]at$       
visually on home appliances su* z       
laundry ma*9es1 di%wa%]s1 & /oves make  
^! devices difficult1 if n impossible1  
to use by p :o are bl9d4 ,?is lack (    
access is a pot5tial b>ri] to indep5d5t 
liv+ & ov]all quality ( life4  7#d7     
,increas+ly1 home use m$ical devices are
 be+ utiliz$ to less5 ! co/ ( m$ical c>e
 = consum]s4 ,devices su* z blood       
pressure monitors1 sleep apnea ma*9es1 &
 9-home *emo!rapy treatm5t devices      
g5]ally lack nonvisual accessibility4   
,if a home use m$ical device is n       
accessible 9 a nonvisual mann]1 a bl9d  
p]son _c use x effici5tly & indep5d5tly4
 ,! lack ( nonvisual accessibility 9 ^! 

devices poses major heal? risks = bl9d  
consum]s1 includ+ pot5tially            
life-?reat5+ consequ5ces4  7#e7 ,scre5  
access te*nology has become inexp5sive &
 is 9 wid] use ?an ev] be=e4 ,_m        
te*nology companies h incorporat$ scre5 
access te*nology functionalities into _!
 products4 ,scre5 access te*nology is n 
! only me*anism by :i* home use m$ical  
devices1 ex]cise equipm5t1 & home       
appliances c be made accessible to bl9d 
consum]s4 ,9 "s cases1 tactile m>k+s1   
audible tones1 or co/-effective & widely
 available text-to-spee* te*nology may  
be suffici5t to make su* devices fully  
accessible4 ,devices c be design$ to "w 
) nonvisual access te*nology us$ by !   
bl9d at little or no extra co/ z long z 
su* compatibility is tak5 into          
consid]ation at ! beg9n+ ( ! design     
process4  7#f7 ,consum]s :o are bl9d mu/
 be able to op]ate home use m$ical      
devices1 ex]cise equipm5t1 & home       
appliances 9 an equally effective &     
equally integrat$ mann] & ) equival5t   

ease ( use z consum]s )\t disabilities4 
#c4 ,m9imum nonvisual access /&>d =     
cov]$ devices  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,! ,access  
,bo>d %all promulgate a m9imum nonvisual
 access /&>d = ea* type ( cov]$ device t
 w ensure nonvisual access to su*       
respective device by bl9d consum]s4  7b7
 ,effective date ,a m9imum nonvisual    
access /&>d %all apply to a cov]$ device
 t is manufactur$ aft] ! date t is #bd  
mon?s aft] ! date on :i* su* /&>d is    
promulgat$4  #d4 ,rulemak+  7a7 ,9 g5]al
 ,! ,ar*itectural & ,transportation     
,compliance ,bo>d e/abli%$ pursuant to  
section #ejb ( ! ,rehabilitation ,act ( 
#aigc 7#bi ,u4,s4,c4 #gib7 79 ?is ,act  
ref]r$ to z ! ,access ,bo>d7 %all       
conduct a review ( nonvisual            
accessibility /&>ds = home use m$ical   
devices1 home appliances1 & ex]cise     
equipm5t4  7b7 ,rese>* & consultation ,9
 conduct+ ! review requir$ by subsection
 7a71 ! ,access ,bo>d %all--  7#a7      
review all available rese>* on me?ods by
 :i* bl9d consum]s c acquire nonvisual  

access to cov]$ devices2  7#b7          
commission su* additional rese>* z !    
,access ,bo>d consid]s necess>y to      
fulfill its responsibility "u subsection
 7a7 ( ?is section2  7#c7 consult )     
gr\ps repres5t+ bl9d consum]s2 &  7#d7  
consult ) manufactur]s ( cov]$ devices &
 organizations t repres5t su*           
manufactur]s4  7c7 ,rulemak+ requir$ ,n 
lat] ?an #ah mon?s aft] ! date (        
enactm5t ( ?is ,act1 ! ,access ,bo>d    
%all initiate rulemak+ pursuant to      
section #c7;a74  7d7 ,f9al rule ,n lat] 
?an #cf mon?s aft] ! date ( enactm5t (  
?is ,act1 ! ,access ,bo>d %all issue !  
f9al rule4  #e4 ,en=cem5t  7a7          
,education ( manufactur]s ,! ,access    
,bo>d %all conduct tra9+ to educate     
manufactur]s ( cov]$ devices ab\t !     
m9imum nonvisual access /&>d &          
compliance ) su* /&>d4  7b7 ,p[]s &     
duties  7#a7 ,home use m$ical devices ,!
 ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration is         
responsible = ov]see+ ! nonvisual access
 compliance ( manufactur]s :o produce   

home use m$ical devices4  7#b7 ,home    
appliances & ex]cise equipm5t ,! ,f$]al 
,trade ,commission is responsible =     
ov]see+ ! nonvisual access compliance ( 
manufactur]s :o produce home appliances 
& ex]cise equipm5t4  7c7 ,inve/igations 
7#a7 ,compla9ts  7,a7 ,home use m$ical  
device ,! ,food & ,drug ,adm9i/ration   
%all inve/igate ea* compla9t reg>d+ a   
home use m$ical device does n comply ) !
 m9imum nonvisual access /&>d applicable
 to su* device & %all det]m9e :e!r !    
device complies ) su* m9imum nonvisual  
access /&>d4  7,b7 ,home appliance or   
piece ( ex]cise equipm5t ,! ,f$]al      
,trade ,commission %all inve/igate ea*  
compla9t reg>d+ a home appliance or     
piece ( ex]cise equipm5t does n comply )
 ! m9imum nonvisual access /&>d         
applicable to su* appliance or equipm5t 
& %all det]m9e :e!r ! appliance or      
equipm5t complies ) su* m9imum nonvisual
 access /&>d4  7#b7 ,o!r inve/igations  
,9 addition to inve/igations "u p>agraph
 7#a71 ! prop] ag5cy may conduct su* o!r

 inve/igations consid]$ appropriate to  
ensure compliance ) ! m9imum nonvisual  
access /&>d set =? by ! ,access ,bo>d4  
7d7 ,en=cem5t action ,if ! prop] ag5cy  
det]m9es t a manufactur] has manufactur$
 or (f]$ = sale a cov]$ device t does n 
comply ) ! m9imum nonvisual access /&>d 
applicable to su* cov]$ device1 ! prop] 
ag5cy %all det]m9e & levy a p5alty      
pursuant to subsection 7e74  7e7 ,civil 
p5alty ,! prop] ag5cy1 if x is det]m9$ t
 a violation has occurr$1 may assess a  
civil monet>y p5alty aga9/ su*          
manufactur] 9 an am\nt n to exce$ #aj   
p]c5t ( ! retail value ( ! cov]$ device 
involv$ = ea* noncompliant unit ( su*   
cov]$ device manufactur$4  #f4 ,private 
"r ( action  7a7 ,9 g5]al ,a bl9d       
consum] :o has an enc\nt] ) a cov]$     
device t does n comply ) a m9imum       
nonvisual access /&>d applicable to su* 
cov]$ device may1 aft] notify+ ! prop]  
ag5cy ( su* enc\nt]1 comm5ce a civil    
action aga9/ ! manufactur] ( su* cov]$  
device n lat] ?an #ahj days aft] su*    

enc\nt]4  7b7 ,relief ,if ! c\rt 9 a    
civil action comm5c$ "u subsection 7a7 (
 ?is section det]m9es t ! cov]$ device  
involv$ is 9 violation ( ! m9imum       
nonvisual access /&>d1 ! c\rt may grant 
! foll[+ relief3  7#a7 ,monet>y damages 
9 an am\nt equal to ! great] ( #aj1jjj  
p] violation p] unit ( su* cov]$ device4
  7#b7 ,su* equitable relief z ! c\rt   
consid]s appropriate1 includ+ tempor>y1 
prelim9>y1 & p]man5t injunctive relief4 
7#c7 ,reasonable attorneys' fees4  7#d7 
,9 ! case ( willful or repeat$          
violations by ! manufactur]1 punitive   
damages4  #g4 ,rule ( con/ruction ,no?+ 
9 ?is ,act %all be con/ru$ to limit !   
rights ( bl9d consum]s "u any o!r       
applicable law4  #h4 ,def9itions ,9 ?is 
,act1 ! foll[+ def9itions apply3  7#a7  
,access ,bo>d ,! t]m ,access ,bo>d has !
 mean+ giv5 su* t]m 9 section #ejb ( !  
,rehabilitation ,act ( #aigc 7#bi       
,u4,s4,c4 #gib74  7#b7 ,bl9d consum] ,! 
t]m bl9d consum] means an individual ^: 
vision--  7,a7 is #bj_/bjj or less 9 !  

be/ correct$ eye2  7,b7 subt5ds an angle
 ( n great] ?an #bj degrees 9 ! be/     
correct$ eye2 or  7,c7 is su* t !       
individual _c use a cov]$ device )\t    
nonvisual means4  7#c7 ,cov]$ device ,! 
t]m cov]$ device means a ,home ,use     
,m$ical ,device1 ,ex]cise ,equipm5t1 or 
,home ,appliance4  7#d7 ,ex]cise        
equipm5t ,! t]m ex]cise equipm5t means  
an ex]cise ma*9e ) an int]active us]    
int]face = use 9 resid5tial or comm]cial
 sett+s4  7#e7 ,home appliance ,! t]m   
home appliance means an electric        
appliance t is design$ = use 9 a        
resid5tial sett+4  7#f7 ,home use m$ical
 device ,! t]m home use m$ical device   
means a m$ical device int5d$ = use 9 a  
resid5tial sett+1 includ+ devices int5d$
 = use 9 bo? resid5tial & pr(essional   
heal?c>e facilities4  7#g7 ,nonvisual   
access ,! t]m nonvisual access means !  
ability ( an individual to use all      
functions ( a device 9 an equally       
effective & equally integrat$ mann] & ) 
equival5t ease ( use4  7#h7 ,prop] ag5cy

 ,! t]m prop] ag5cy means ! respective  
ag5cy :o is responsible = ov]see+       
specific categories ( cov]$ devices4