Home California Senate Committees Approve Grayson’s Bills Supported by Advocates for People with Disabilities

Senate Committees Approve Grayson’s Bills Supported by Advocates for People with Disabilities

by ECT

(SACRAMENTO) Two of Assemblymember Timothy S. Grayson’s (D-Concord) bills supported by advocates for people with disabilities were passed unanimously during their respective Senate policy committee hearings this week.

The first bill, AB 3002, requires local government agencies that issue building permits to provide resources on compliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA) and other disability-related regulations at the time permits are issued. After the bill passed the Senate Judiciary Committee Tuesday, Assemblymember Grayson said, “As a small business owner myself, I know that too often people are unaware of the intricacies of disability access laws when constructing or modifying their public facilities. This bill will proactively get critical information into the hands of business owners before construction begins. With better guidance from the moment they apply for permits, businesses can get it right the first time and make sure their facilities are accessible and avoid lengthy litigation and expensive modifications.”

The second bill, AB 3223, which passed the Senate Education Committee today, improves Individualized Education Program (IEP) standards from Standard English Braille to Unified English Braille. “This bill updates the education code to bring it more in line with what is already happening in California and across the country. It’s critically important that our visually impaired students are being given instruction in the new, unified standards being used in English-speaking countries around the world,” Assemblymember Grayson said. Unified English Braille is designed to make Braille quicker, easier, and more efficient for visually-impaired English speakers to use regardless of which country they live in.

AB 3002 is supported by a number of disability advocacy organizations including Disability Rights California, Association of Regional Care Agencies, and the Foundation for Independent Living Centers. The bill proceeds to the Senate Appropriations Committee for further consideration.

AB 3223 is also supported by Disability Rights California as well as the California Council of the Blind and the California School Board Association. The bill proceeds to the Senate floor.

Tim Grayson represents the 14th Assembly District that includes the communities of Benicia, Concord, Clayton, Martinez, Pleasant Hill, Vallejo, Pittsburg and Walnut Creek. For more information please visit the Assemblymember’s website, www.assembly.ca.gov/a14.

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