麻州長Maura Healey簽行政命令 成立新組織助殘障人藉數位科技獲取資訊

麻州州長Maura Healey 簽署行政命令，協助殘障人士更全面獲取政府資訊。
(周菊子攝)

           (Boston Orange 綜合報導) 麻州州長奚莉（Maura Healey）26日趁著「美國殘障法」33週年，簽署行政命令第613號，成立「數位獲取及平等治理委員會 (Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board) 」，以加強並促進麻州內殘障人士以數位科技獲取資訊上的公平程度。

簽署行政命令會現場。(周菊子攝)

麻州政府將為這新成立的委員會設立「獲取資訊科技長(Chief Information Technology Accessibility Officer，簡稱 CIAO)」職位，並由其擔任委員會主席，和科技及安全行政辦公室，以及Jason Snyder廳長合作，經由持續監控，支持測試，以及內部報告等方式，來積極參與、推動讓所有人都能充分利用數位應用程式，獲取政府資訊，同時確保州政府行政各部門遵循公佈的標準、政策及流程，部門之間的數位獲取方式和平等的標準也一致。

奚莉州長和Jason Snyder廳長指出，丕優(Pew)研究公司的一份2021年研究報告顯示，社會中80%的人都靠數位方式來獲取政府服務資訊，因此讓所有人都能夠在很公平情況下，以簡單方式來使用政府所有的網站及數位應用程式，成為非常重要的事。麻州政府將從下週起，著手增聘相關工作人員，以其政府每一部門都有專人來協助推動此事。

                   該行政命令只適用於行政部門，但鼓勵獨立機構、公立高等教育機構、其他憲法辦公室、司法機構和市政府參與該委員會，並採用與該委員會所推進的政策一致的政策，以最大程度地發揮其影響力。

「數位獲取及平等治理委員會 (Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board) 」成員包括：

•             CIAO

•           行政辦公室秘書

•           州長的副首席幕僚，負責接觸和機會

•           麻州殘疾人辦公室執行董事

•           麻州聾人和重聽障人委員會委員

•           麻州盲人委員會委員

•           具有數字無障礙問題專業知識或生活經驗的公眾成員

Governor Healey Signs Executive Order Establishing Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board 

Order highlights Healey-Driscoll Administration’s dedication to provide a more equitable, inclusive, and accessible digital experience for everyone 

  

BOSTON – In the spirit of Disability Pride Month and on the 33^rd anniversary of the signing of the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), Governor Maura Healey, joined by Secretary Jason Snyder and representatives of the disability community, signed Executive Order #613, creating the Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board to strengthen and advance digital accessibility and equity within the Commonwealth. The Board will be chaired by the newly-established position of Chief Information Technology Accessibility Officer (CIAO) within the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security (EOTSS) and will work with Secretary Snyder to lead the active engagement in driving all digital applications to be fully functional and accessible for everyone.  Through ongoing monitoring, support for testing, and internal reporting, the Digital Accessibility and Equity Program will ensure that digital accessibility and equity standards are aligned across the executive department. 

 

“In Massachusetts, we strive to be a model for equity, inclusion, and accessibility. Through the leadership of Secretary Snyder and the Executive Office of Technology Services and Security, we’ve made significant progress on people-centric improvements to government digital services,” said Governor Healey. “The establishment of the Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board represents our commitment to supporting individuals with disabilities and making government more accessible and equitable for all.” 

 

“Our Administration remains committed to making government more inclusive and accessible, including for those who have disabilities and those who may have difficulty reading or speaking English,” said Lieutenant Governor Kim Driscoll. “This Executive Order is a major step toward achieving meaningful improvements to accessibility of government services and I look forward to supporting the Board in its important work.” 

 

“Today, a majority of people interact with state government online and everyone has unique challenges, perspectives, and life experiences that affect how they interact with state services online,” said Technology Services and Security Secretary Jason Snyder. “When we build digital services for people with different needs, we build better for everyone.” 

 

“The issue of IT Accessibility has been critically important and vital to many people within state government for over 30 years and as I always say, ‘you cannot go backwards in life,’ but I am ecstatic that we are taking this important issue forward,” said Massachusetts Office on Disability Executive Director Mary Mahon McCauley. 

 

Members of the Digital Accessibility and Equity Governance Board will include: 

·  The CIAO 

·  Secretaries of executive offices 

·  The Governor’s Deputy Chief of Staff for Access and Opportunity 

·  The Executive Director of the Massachusetts Office on Disability 

·  The Commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission for the Deaf and Hard of Hearing 

·  The Commissioner of the Massachusetts Commission for the Blind 

·  Members of the public with expertise or lived experience with digital accessibility issues 

 

The CIAO and the Board will be supported in its mission to develop and implement strategies and platforms to promote best practices for digital accessibility and equity by the appointment of Secretariat IT Accessibility Officers (SIAOs) in each of the executive department’s secretariats. To ensure accountability and transparency with the public, metrics to track the progress of the Board will be displayed on a public-facing dashboard. 

 

While this Executive Order only pertains to the executive department, independent agencies, public institutions of higher education, other constitutional offices, the judiciaries, and municipalities are highly encouraged to participate with the Board and to adopt policies consistent with those advanced by the Board to maximize its impact. 

 

As the Commonwealth’s lead technology and cybersecurity secretariat, EOTSS is charged with the responsibility of coordinating the Administration’s information technology activities and ensuring that all executive department agencies adhere to its published standards, policies, and procedures. This enterprise approach provides a single, comprehensive framework and ensures that the Commonwealth is in alignment on all technology needs, including data privacy, cybersecurity risk management, and now digital accessibility and equity through the creation of the Digital Accessibility and Equity Program.