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HomeMy WebLinkAbout5-21-13 MACFEA agenda packet COUNTY OF KAUAI MAYOR' S ADVISORY COMMITTEE FOR EQUAL ACCESS NOTICE OF MEETING AND AGENDA Tuesday, May 21 , 2013 12 : 30 p.m. or shortly thereafter Mo ` ikeha Building, Meeting Room 2A/213 4444 Rice Street, Lihue, HI 96766 CALL TO ORDER INTRODUCTION OF MACFEA MEMBERS AND STAFF APPROVAL OF MINUTES • Regular Open Session Minutes of January 15 , 2013 BUSINESS • Crosswalk enhancements in the vicinity of Koloa School • Lydgate Beach Park pavilion stage access • Kamalani Park playground • All-Terrain Chairs • Update on installation of Wi-Fi in County facilities and Internet Bandwidth Upgrades to accommodate expanded use • Discussion and deliberation with the ADA Coordinator of MACFEA Goals for 2013 (On-going) REPORTS • DCAB reports for April and May 2013 • ADA Coordinator' s report • Updates / Announcements o Kaua'i NFB (National Federation for the Blind) Minutes of March 1 & April 512013 NEXT MEETING Tuesday, July 16 , 2013 — 12 : 30 p.m. , Mo ` ikeha Building, Meeting Room 2A/2B The office of Boards and Commissions will no longer be providing bottled water to our members starting July 1st, 2013 . This is one of our sustainability goals . Staff will provide cold water using a filtered system (i.e. Brita), so please bring in your water bottle that was provided to you. Mahalo. ADJOURNMENT cc : Marc Guyot, Deputy County Attorney PUBLIC COMMENTS AND TESTIMONY Persons wishing to offer comments are encouraged to submit written testimony at least 24 -hours prior to the meeting indicating : 1 . Your names and contact information, position/title and organization you are representing (if applicable) ; 2 . The agenda item that you are providing comments on; and 3 . Whether you will be testifying in person or submitting written comments only. 4 . If you are unable to submit your testimony at least 24 -hours prior to the meeting, please provide 10 copies of your written testimony at the meeting. While every effort will be made to copy, organize, and collate all testimony received, materials received on the day of the meeting or improperly identified may be distributed to the members after the meeting is concluded. The length of time allocated to persons wishing to present verbal testimony may be limited at the discretion of the chairperson or presiding member. Send written testimony to : MACFEA Attn: Cherisse Zaima Office of Boards and Commissions 4444 Rice Street, Suite 150 Lihue, HI 96766 e-mail: czaima(i�,kauai. gov Phone : 241 -4881 Fax: 241 -5127 If you need an alternate format or auxiliary aid to participate, please contact Linda Nuland-Ames at 245 -6203 (V/TTY) at least (5) working days prior to the meeting. Meeting Minutes — DRAFT Mayor's Advisory Committee For Equal Access ( MACFEA) Tuesday, January 15, 2013 Mo` ikeha Building , Meeting Room 2A-2B 4444 Rice Street, Lihu `e, HI 96766 Members Present: Elena Costales , Consumer, HCIL — Kaua ' i Volunteer; Betty Bell — Kaua' i Federation for the Blind ; El Doi — Kaua' i Developmental Disability Council ; Rita Manriquez — State Traumatic Brain Injury Advisory Board (STBIAB ) ; Roberta Eiben — Consumer; Dr. Lucy Miller — DCAB ( Disability and Communication Access Board ) Board Member; Sharry Glass — Advocate , Teacher/Trainer; Kathy English — Hawai ' i Disability Rights Center. Member Excused : Ana Valdez — Family Advocate Staff members also present: Linda Nuland-Ames — ADA/EEOC Coordinator; Barbara Davis — Commission Support Clerk; Marc Guyot — Deputy County Attorney; Jeremy Lee , Program Specialist Transportation Agency; Captioner: Dodie Weiss — Caption First. Call to Order Chair Elena Costales called the meeting to order at 12 : 31 p . m . with 8 members present. APPROVAL OF MINUTES • Regular Open Session Minutes of November 20 , 2012 Chair Costales requested a correction to Page 9 , 2nd paragraph , 3rd sentence to read paratransit instead of par transit. Action : Dr. Lucy moved to approve the minutes as amended . Ms . English seconded the motion . Motion carried 8 : 0 . BUSINESS • Update on installation of WiFi in County facilities and Internet Bandwidth Upgrades to accommodate expanded use . Ms . Davis reported the latest update from the IT Department is that all of the wireless access points are now installed and working as expected . However, the target date to make the wireless system available to users has been pushed out to February. The extra time is required to address policy issues for access and network security. Along with this , IT will be making some minor configuration changes in accordance with the finalized policies . Ms . Glass applauded the County's IT Department for responding in such a competent and accomplished way . MACFEA brought it to the attention of IT last summer that this is required by Federal Law and IT has responded in a terrific way. • Update regarding status of accessible bus stops and accessible routes to all public libraries and schools on Kaua' i and what action is needed to remedy those that are not accessible Jeremy Lee from the Transportation Agency said he would speak first on the bus stops project that covers the entire island . Mr. Lee said he cannot address the issue of accessibility to the libraries as that falls under the State's jurisdiction and not the County. Overall the bus stop project will cover 49 locations and the Transportation Agency has enlisted the support of an engineering and design firm from Honolulu , SSFM . They are on track with the 22 locations and they are handling the initial design and engineering work, providing the scoping for the layout for larger bus pads for the added amenities of bus shelters with ADA accessible benches and stalls as well as bike racks , and a larger landing pad for the vehicles to deploy their lifts . That project should span the better part of a year. Once that is completed , the Agency will be going to the community with those designs for input on whether or not they approve those engineering designs for their communities and to get input for the design of the shelters . Once that is completed the project will move into the construction phase which will probably take a multi-phase approach to align our resources with the State DOT and other County agencies so that the road is only torn up one time . Ms . Glass stated she was very happy to hear this information because ADA was passed in 1990 and the County is still in non-compliance . Will the company that is doing the engineering designs submit their plans to DCAB for accessibility controls or monitoring ? How can we ensure that these are going to be ADA compliant? Mr. Lee said the Agency has enlisted the support of Linda Nuland-Ames . As part of the work, SSFM is doing a redevelopment of our bus stop development guidelines , which line out the ADA accessibility features that need to be in place for each of the bus stop locations they are developing . That draft document has been supplied to Ms . Nuland- Ames for review and comments , and to make sure all of the bus stop guidelines will be the posts they look to in developing the existing and new bus stops in our future and meet the current ADA standards . The Agency is not only looking at meeting the regular standards but also the unpassed things that they need to address . They are also looking at connectivity, which is not part of the current funding but making sure that the stub-outs for accessible walkways to and from the bus stops are looked at and designed . Ms . Glass agreed saying accessible routes are very much a part of the whole picture . It is inaccessible if there is not an accessible route . The members thanked Mr. Lee for the information he provided . Mr. Lee advised the membership that he would be attending all of the MACFEA meetings as a representative of the County Transportation Agency and is interested in being an active participant in this group . MACFEA — January 15 , 2013 2 • Election of Vice Chair for 2013 Action : Ms . English nominated Ms . Eiben for Vice Chair, Ms . Doi seconded the nomination . Motion carried 8 : 0 . • Approval of MACFEA Meeting Schedule for 2013 Action : Ms . Bell moved to accept the 2013 Meeting Schedule . Ms . Manriquez seconded the motion . Motion carried 8 : 0 • Discussion and deliberation with the ADA Coordinator of MACFEA Goals for 2013 Ms . Glass asked if the non-committee members in attendance could sit at the committee meeting table stating it is awkward for her to have these participants speaking from behind her. It was explained that only board or committee members should sit at the table . Unfortunately , to accommodate the captioning and with the makeup of 13 committee members there is not enough room at the table to seat the staff. Ms . Nuland-Ames said she looked at some of the notes and the goals that had previously been agreed upon . Some of them have been accomplished such as more effective communication access to include Wi- Fi , continued ADA awareness training to all County Employees is an on-going project, and reports from the ADA coordinator on updates , which is part of Ms . Nuland-Ames' job description so it is not needed as a goal . It is expected that Keri Russell , the new Director for the Kaua' i Red Cross , will be joining MACFEA at the March meeting . Recently there was an emergency preparedness meeting on island and Ms . Nuland- Ames suggested this become a goal . Everyone whose job is involved in emergency preparedness is very actively trying to find a way to reach more people and have them make more sound emergency plans , as well as back up plans and back up to back up plans , since there is no way to know when a disaster will hit, what it will be , or the timing . We want individuals to be better prepared and perhaps MACFEA could do outreach to their organizations and their communities about this as a potential goal . We know that the Red Cross is very, very understaffed so this might be effective in that way. Also , people with disabilities should be volunteers because they recognize the access difficulties quicker than someone who does not face them every day . Ms . Nuland-Ames also reported she is currently working with some of the parks on the Westside . When people call Ms . Nuland-Ames with a concern about their neighborhood , she is encouraging them to come to the MACFEA meetings and consider joining because we need " boots on the ground" throughout the island . However, unless they work in Lihu'e it is difficult to get here for a meeting which might be cancelled at the last minute for lack of quorum or if they have an employer who does not give them extra MACFEA — January 15 , 2013 3 time off for the meeting . Ms . Nuland-Ames said she would like to see a goal be the effort of the committee members to help locate people with different life challenges and living on different parts of the island to join MACFEA. It would be very helpful to have these communities represented not only by a person 's particular challenge in life but the community in which they physically reside . Transportation has been mentioned every year of MACFEA and in 2012 a goal was to have a more equitable paratransit schedule as well as subsidized bus passes for people with disabilities . Transportation should continue as a goal because we need to stay up to date on what is happening with linking the State properties with the County transportation system , as well as watch what is going on with the new bus shelters and any questions that arise about paratransit and the financial access of people with limited disability income . Ms . Nuland-Ames said she would like to see Committee members take that on as an on- going subcommittee that reports to the Committee as a whole . The neighbor island MACFEA committees have been trying hard for the past two years to have less business at their general meeting and more reports . They have the people who serve on the committee out in the community working on the issues and bringing back their reports to the committee . Besides being a more effective use of the committee it would be more interesting for members and would attract new members who have a particular interest whether it is access to websites , more availability of interpreting services at meetings and events , and keeping an eye on situations arising with transportation . For example , use of public transportation has risen quite a bit since last year when everyone had three weeks free of bus travel . That potentially means there is less room on the bus and might be more difficult for people who have balance and mobility problems and there may be people in the community who are particularly interested in having input because they use the bus a lot. Ms . Nuland-Ames said she understands the County website is fully accessible but it helps when people report back on the website and perhaps there is another subcommittee of people who use the website regularly and can report any issues they encounter. Parks and Recreation could also be a subcommittee which could be fun for those who do use the parks . One problem recently had been resolved until heavy rains and flooding created new accessibility problems . After learning of the problems , Ms . Nuland -Ames went with the crew to look at scheduling the repairs but there is a concern because no one person can know what is going on everywhere . Filling the vacancies in the MACFEA membership and being more proactive in the community could be an enormous help to keep problems and upsets from arising . Ms . Glass asked if the maintenance people in the parks alert Ms . Nuland-Ames to situations like that. Ms . Nuland-Ames said that would be ideal and some things do come up that way but it is not the same for someone who is doing their routine maintenance at the park as it is for someone who is helping someone in a wheelchair to access it; it is just different. Ms . Glass asked if that were an appropriate place for training in disability access . Ms . Nuland-Ames said there is more training coming up but it is different for someone who is actually living with a disability. Areas of concern may not be obvious unless you are looking for or dealing with it. That is the importance of getting more feedback from the people who actually use the parks . Things could be taken care of quicker before it gets blown up and becomes a bigger problem . MACFEA — January 15 , 2013 4 Ms . Glass asked if they need to advertise the MACFEA committee better so people will feel free to bring their issues . Ms . Glass asked if there was a phone number (for the committee ) or a listing in the calendar or newspaper with a phone number for the people to call for the committee . Ms . Nuland-Ames said the agenda of the actual meetings do have a contact name , number and email . If the Committee asks the Mayor's Office to do a press release there would also be a contact name and number. Ms . Glass said she was thinking of an on-going release so it is not just once every two months or occasionally. Ms . Nuland-Ames said they need to schedule community meetings in the places that are the holding locations and the emergency shelters and invite everyone in the neighborhood to come . That would be an appropriate time for MACFEA to attend as well and let the public know what the committee does and how it is relevant to their neighborhood as well as assuring that the ADA is fully considered at all of these different shelters and holding areas . Holding stations can be just a parking lot and is not the bigger issue because it is a very temporary thing . It is when people actually have to go to a shelter that issues tend to arise . There was a recent meeting at the Civil Defense with the Department of Health , Developmental Disabilities Division , Centers for Independent Living and the community associations to talk about the problems . We began to see from the last tsunami warning where in despite of everything there were people who were totally unprepared and arrived at shelters and were surprised there were not bunks and food and water. People are also still expecting to be picked up and taken to the shelters . Depending on the time of day and the nature of the emergency, the Transportation Agency will do all it can to help but it also has to secure its vehicles and personnel because they are not first responders . Not only are emergency plans being discussed but also back up plans to those plans so people will be ready under any circumstances . That is a major outreach that we are slowly bringing together and MACFEA can certainly play a role in that. Another opportunity to strongly promote MACFEA is at the community meetings that the Mayor' s Office hosts and there are a series scheduled in February with more to be done later in the year. Ms . Bell asked if Verizon and AT&T have been invited to share some of these things as she did not have phone or cell phone service and it is scary when someone cannot make contact to find out what is wrong . Ms . Nuland-Ames explained that a fiber-optic cable on Oahu was sliced and created a state-wide problem . Ms . Glass thought Ms . Bell 's point was well taken because part of emergency preparedness is to prepare for lack of communication . Ms . Bell asked if it was possible to use the tsunami warning with a different kind of tone to indicate another type of emergency. Ms . Nuland-Ames said the problem with the warning is that it is basically a notice to get more information and you would still need to listen to the radio , get on the phone or the computer to access what the emergency is . Ms . Nuland -Ames said this discussion shows that perhaps MACFEA wants to make disaster preparedness as it relates to the County a sub-committee . MACFEA — January 15 , 2013 5 Dr. Lucy asked how the sub-committees related to the Sunshine Law. Ms . Nuland- Ames said if people want to form a committee it would have to be on the next agenda with the sub-committee empowered to meet on its own and bring back a report to the full committee . Staff stated that the sub-committee (also known as a PIG or permitted interaction group) would not have to be noticed but it would have to bring its report back to the committee for any action needed . Ms . Eiben said she had a concern that should be brought to the attention of the Mayor. Ms . Eiben related that when she is eating lunch at the parks and need to use the restroom , they are never clean and do not have any paper towels for drying the hands . Ms . Nuland -Ames asked to speak with Ms . Eiben afterwards to find out which parks because she is aware of two parks that have particular problems due to major vandalism and yet those facilities are cleaned regularly and supplied . The Mayor' s Office is aware of and working on the problems but some of the parks are more isolated and the facilities just keep getting trashed . Ms . Glass said part of the issue is that accommodations are not sufficient for the usage and that is absolutely true at Ke'e Beach . There are not enough bathrooms for the number of people who are trying to use them and that needs to be addressed . Ms . Bell said in her travels on the mainland there were local ladies who cleaned the bathrooms on the state roads and were very proud of having clean facilities ; it might be something to think about. Ms . Nuland-Ames said there are civil service laws about who you can hire to do some jobs . Attorney Guyot advised the Committee that Ke'e Beach is a State beach and while the State does provide grant money to the County to provide the lifeguard service it is the State who is responsible for the roadway and the facilities . Action : Ms . Glass moved that this discussion be continued at the next meeting at which time they would vote on actual goals . Ms . Bell thought the Committee needed the methodology to accomplish the goals as well . Ms . Nuland-Ames suggested members take the information and think about what their commitment to equal access is in the County, what the areas of interest are and the willingness to work on those areas and put together ideas of how things should be addressed and be prepared for a full discussion at the next meeting . Ms . Bell and Dr. Lucy both seconded the motion . Motion carried 8 : 0 • Accessibility report regarding the construction on Lydqate Pavilion and the replacement of the portable ramp to the stage with a fixed ramp Ms . Nuland-Ames did not have the final information but several months ago it appears that constructing a ramp , while ideal , was not possible due to a long list of construction problems and costs . To use the pavilion with the stage , a permit is required (from Parks and Recreation ) and at that time accessibility and auxiliary aid requests would be made . There is a lift available that would be put on site for the event involving the permit with a person to demonstrate how to use it and to be safely stored after the event. Ms . Glass asked Ms . Nuland-Ames to pursue this further because it was the Committee's understanding from a report Ms . Pilkington made that the lift was not easily used and MACFEA — January 15 , 2013 6 was not something you could put up with a last minute notice if someone needed accommodation and decided to attend an event. It is hard for non-profits having large events to make sure whoever needs accommodation does ask for it in sufficient time for the acquiring of the permit. This needs to be facilitated better because people are not able to participate in performances because of the lack of accommodation . Ms . Nuland- Ames said she could see how that would be a problem . It appears from looking at correspondence the lift that is available is compliant and the Parks and Recreation personnel would get it into place , remove it after and show people how to use it. There is some difficulty with getting it there and it can 't be left at the site ; it has to be stored . It is the permit holder' s responsibility to make sure their event is accessible . Ms . Glass questioned if it could be highlighted in red that a portable lift is available or make some specific reference to physical accommodations rather than just anyone needing accommodations . Ms . Nuland-Ames said she is still putting together the actual agreement and how it will work . Ms . Bell said it seemed the County would have a much greater liability getting someone like her to operate a lift and if it didn 't work or someone fell that would be a much bigger risk than asking the Lions Club to build a ramp . Ms . Nuland-Ames said you can 't just build a ramp ; plans have to go through ADAG for approval . Chair Costales noted the group had lost quorum , with only 6 members present and asked if the meeting needed to be stopped . Attorney Guyot advised the Committee that they would need to stop the meeting , even though there were no further actions to be voted on , due to the lack of participation from others to hear what is going on . Adjournment: Chair Costales announced the meeting was adjourned at 1 :24 p . m . due to loss of quorum . MACFEA — January 15 , 2013 7 OF N4 � %959 a 1� i DISABILITY AND COMMUNICATION ACCESS BOARD o- 919 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 101 • Honolulu, Hawaii 96814 Ph. (808) 586-8121 (V/TDD) • Fax (808) 586-8129 April 2013 Report from the Disability and Communication Access Board for City and County of Honolulu , Maui , Kauai , and Big Island Mayors Committees Maui , Kauai , and Big Island Developmental Disabilities Committees Disability Rights Hawaii Big Island State Council on Developmental Disabilities State Independent Living Council Submitted by Francine Wai , Executive Director 1 . American Sign Language Interpreter Update Many people do not realize that DCAB has a very detailed program called the Hawaii Quality Assurance System ( HAAS ) whereby we test sign language interpreters for their skill level . We also have a test that examines an interpreter's skill with local language . In November 2012 we tested four (4) applicants , all who passed at varying skill levels . In January 2013 we tested another applicant (from Kauai ) , with test results still outstanding . DCAB provides a list of all sign language interpreters who pass HAAS , as well as those with a national credential , to agencies and businesses that seek to hire a sign language interpreter for a situation to communicate with a person who is deaf or hard of hearing . DCAB has recently established a Continuing Education Program (CEU ) for sign language interpreters to keep their skills and credentials current. Currently, there are nine (9 ) interpreters who are part of the program . DCAB will be sponsoring its first Interpreter Training workshop , offering CEUs for sign language interpreters on April 19-20 , 2013 featuring Belinda McCleese , Coordinator of Deaf Services , Orange County Behavior Health Services . On April 19 from 6 : 00 p . m . — 9 : 00 p . m . the topic will be "The Value of Ethics" and on April 20 from 8 : 30 a . m . - 5 : 00 p . m . the topic will be " Interpreting in the Mental Health Environment. " Both workshops will be at Kapiolani Community College and will be FREE , but registration is required . For more information and to register, contact Kristine Pagano at kristine . pagano(a),doh . hawaii . gov . 2 . "Working Effectively with a Sign Language Interpreter in the Mental Health Setting" Workshop . April 19 , 2013 In addition to credentialing interpreters and ensuring that their skill level is current, DCAB also works with agencies to ensure that they know how to work with sign language interpreters . One of the most difficult settings for using a sign language interpreter is in a mental health setting where confidential information is discussed . This workshop will also feature Belinda McCleese , Coordinator of Deaf Services , Orange County Behavior Health Services . The workshop is geared for mental health counselors working with deaf, hard of hearing , and deaf-blind clients . The workshop is also FREE , but registration is required and will be held on April 19 , 2013 , 9 : 00 a . m . to 12 : 00 p . m . at 919 Ala Moana Boulevard , fifth floor conference room . For more information and to register, contact Kristine Pagano at kristine . pagano(a)doh . hawaii . gov . 3 . SPIN Conference April 6 , 2013 --- FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT The Special Parent Information Network (SPIN ) will be holding its annual conference on April 6 , 2013 at the University of Hawaii Campus Center. SPIN 's theme this year is "SPIN 's Safari Adventure" . SPIN is offering its usual wide variety of workshops for family members with disabilities and for professionals . Among the workshops are : Preparing for the IEP , Anti- Bullying , How to Evaluate Treatments , Natural Supports , Optimistic Thinking , Social Skills , Accommodations and Modifications , Transition from 0-3 to Pre-School , Transition from High School to Adulthood , Understanding Your Child 's Assessment, Sibling Issues , Tourette Syndrome and Disruptive Behaviors , Autism Spectrum Disorder, Learning Disabilities , and Positive Behavioral Supports . Registration is $25 per parent/$35 for two family members together or $35 per professional . For more information , contact either Susan Rocco or Jan Tateishi at (808) 586-8126 or susan . rocco(@doh . hawaii . gov or jan .tateishi (@doh . hawaii . gov. 4 . FREE Accessible Residential Design Workshop April 25-26 , 2013 --- FINAL ANNOUNCEMENT DCAB will be sponsoring a two (2) day workshop on designing accessible residential facilities on April 25-26 , 2013 at the Ala Moana Hotel . The workshop will feature Marsha Mazz, Coordinator of Technical Assistance for the U . S . Access Board , and Jack Caitlin , AIA, from LCM Architects in Chicago . The workshop is co-sponsored by the U . S . Department of Housing and Urban Development (HUD ) and the Pacific ADA Center and will cover the different standards of the Americans with Disabilities Act, Fair Housing Accessibility Guidelines , Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act, and the Architectural Barriers Act as it relates to accessible design requirements . The workshop will also present case studies and a panel discussion on complex problems and solutions . As a result of the sponsorship of HUD and the Pacific ADA Center, we are able to make the training FREE . The workshop is focused only on accessible design and will not cover other aspects of non-discrimination in residential settings . For more information , contact either Mona Higa or Laurie Palenske at mona . higa(aDdoh . hawaii . gov or laurie . palenske(a)doh . hawaii . gov . 5 . U . S . Access Board Supplemental Notice of Proposed Rulemaking on Shared Use Paths The U . S . Access Board intends to issue rules for design standards for 'shared use paths' that are multi-use paths designed primarily for use by bicyclists and pedestrians for transportation and recreational purposes . Shared use paths are physically separated from motor vehicle traffic by an open space or barrier and are either within the highway right of way or within an independent right of way. Hawaii does not have many shared use paths because we have limited land and shared use paths are more common on the mainland with miles of such paths , especially in rural areas . DCAB analyzed the proposal and submitted comments in support of the rules concerning spacing between bollards (that are typically installed to prevent vehicle access) . For information , contact Curtis Motoyama at curtis . motoyama doh . hawaii . gov. 6 . Congress Introduces Two Disability Civil Rights Bills Congress is introducing two (2 ) bills that propose to enhance the civil rights of individuals with disabilities , specifically in the area of communication access : S . 555 — The Captioning and Image Narration to Enhance Movies Accessibility Act provides requirements for captioning and video description at certain movies theaters . S . 556 — The Air Carrier Amendments Act provides requirements for accessibility of in-flight entertainment systems . DCAB staff has a copy of the proposed legislation and will be analyzing the bills for comment. If you would additional information , contact Charlotte Townsend at charlotte .towsend (a)doh . hawaii . gov. 7 . U . S . Department of Transportation Proposes New Minimum Sound Requirements for Hybrid and Electric Vehicles As required by the Pedestrian Safety Enhancement Act of 2010 , the U . S . Department of Transportation 's National Highway Traffic Safety Administration is proposing that hybrid and electric vehicles meet minimum sound standards . The standards would ensure that blind , visually impaired , and other pedestrians are able to detect and recognize nearby hybrid and electric vehicles . DCAB analyzed and submitted comments to the U . S . Department of Transportation . If you would like additional information , contact Charlotte Townsend at charlotte .townsend (a�doh . hawaii . gov. --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don 't forget to sign up for DCAB's four (4) E-Bulletins For the Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities E-News, contact debbra .jackson doh . hawaii . gov For the Facility Access E-Bulletin, contact laurie . palenske(a�doh . hawaii . gov For the Communication Access E-Bulletin , contact kristine . pagano(a),doh . hawaii . gov For the SPIN Bulletin , contact jan .tateishi (adoh . hawaii . gov OF h4 � •�P/a 1959 a 1� DISABILITY AND COMMUNICATION ACCESS BOARD o- 919 Ala Moana Boulevard, Room 101 • Honolulu, Hawaii 96814 Ph. (808) 586-8121 (V/TDD) • Fax (808) 586-8129 May 2013 Report from the Disability and Communication Access Board for City and County of Honolulu , Maui , Kauai , and Big Island Mayors Committees Maui , Kauai , and Big Island Developmental Disabilities Committees Disability Rights Hawaii Big Island State Council on Developmental Disabilities State Independent Living Council Submitted by Francine Wai , Executive Director 1 . 2013 Legislature Comes to a Close The 2013 Legislature will have come to a close by the time this Update is received . This was not a very eventful session for most disability-related issues. DCAB was not successful in obtaining $ 1 on the motor vehicle registration fee for the parking program , and thus we are unable to implement any changes to the database as well as enhance enforcement and public education efforts . We are very disappointed . DCAB's appropriation for operating the program was not reduced . Therefore , the program will remain status quo with modest outreach efforts within the constraints of existing funding . DCAB monitored many disability-related issues or offered testimony on measures emphasizing the need for accessibility and equal access . DCAB monitored , took positions by the Legislative Committee and testified , as appropriate , on proposed legislation regarding the use of electric personal assistance mobility devices on sidewalks in business districts , deposits for animals in rental units (as it affects people with service animals ) , access to public meetings with appropriate notice on agendas , posting of accessible formats of agendas on the State's web site , accessibility of electronic legal material and audiovisual legislative archives , service animals in bars and restaurants , issuance of service animal tags and leashes at the county level , tax credits for employers hiring people with disabilities , liability insurance for care homes , complete streets accessibility, and mobility access . The Legislature passed Senate Bill 328 that amends the Residential Landlord-Tenant Code to provide for security deposits that include an additional amount to pay for damages caused by any pet. DCAB and the Hawaii Civil Rights Commission were successful in ensuring that the bill contained an exemption for an animal used as a reasonable accommodation for a person with a disability, consistent with fair housing laws . One of the success stories of the session was the passage of House Bill 1430 , which appropriated $400 , 000 in fiscal year 2013-2014 for the establishment of a comprehensive service center for deaf and hard of hearing persons . This bill will still need to be signed into law by the Governor. The money would then be given to the Department of Human Services , Division of Vocational Rehabilitation to implement. The Governor will have forty five (45 ) working days to sign or veto the legislation . For more information on any of the measures in their final form , contact Debbie Jackson at debbra .jackson ,doh . hawaii . gov. 2 . Federal Legislation and Rules on Communication Access Congress has introduced two (2 ) bills that will improve communication access to persons who are deaf and hard of hearing . The bills are : S . 555 — The "Captioning and Image Narration to Enhance Movie Accessibility Act" requiring captioning and video description at certain movie theaters . S . 556 — The "Air Carrier Access Amendments Act" requiring accessibility to in-flight entertainment systems on airlines . The Federal Communications Commission adopted a final rule on April 8 , 2013 to make televised emergency information more accessible to individuals who are blind or visually impaired . The new rule requires emergency information that appears visually during a non - news program , such as when there is a `crawl ' at the bottom of the television screen , to be provided audibly on a secondary audio stream . The rule goes into effect April 2015 , with some extensions for the Weather Channel . For more information on any of the above , including DCAB's analysis or comments , contact Charlotte Townsend at charlotte .towsend (cDdoh . hawaii . gov or Kristine Pagano at kristine . pagano doh . hawaii . gov . 3 . DCAB Conferences a Success DCAB had a very busy month of April with three (3 ) sets of successful training efforts : • The Special Parent Information Network (SPIN ) Conference held on April 6 , 2013 was attended by four hundred thirty five (435) parents , educators , and professionals . • The Communication Access Workshop was attended by thirty-seven (37 ) individuals who learned about using an interpreter in the mental health setting on April 19 , 2013 . • The Continuing Education Unit workshops for American Sign Language interpreters had forty one (41 ) interpreters taking a workshop on Ethics on April 19 , 2013 and thirty six (36 ) interpreters taking a workshop on April 20 , 2013 on interpreting in a mental health setting . • The Design Conference on Residential Facilities was attended to one hundred sixty ( 160 ) individuals , primarily architects and residential property managers or developers on April 25-26 , 2013 . DCAB thanks all speakers and attendees for supporting our education and training efforts . --------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------- Don 't forget to sign up for DCAB's four (4) E-Bulletins For the Emergency Preparedness for People with Disabilities E-News, contact debbra . iackson (c)doh . hawaii . gov For the Facility Access E-Bulletin, contact laurie . palenske(cr�.doh . hawaii . gov For the Communication Access E-Bulletin , contact kristine . papano(a),doh . hawaii . gov For the SPIN Bulletin , contact jan .tateishi (c . gov ,doh . haw In Kauai NFB Minutes of Meeting Date : March 1 , 2013 Time : 10 : 06am Called to Order by : Patricia Shaddock Attendance : Art, Mike , Donna , Geri , Lee , Laurel , Reginald McPherson , Patricia , Betty, Laura , Tim , john , Theresa , Glenda , Teddy, Sharry, Steve , Brad , Daryl , Gladys , Elizabeth , Clara Agenda : A) Minutes of meeting dated 02/06/2013 approved as presented . B ) Treasurer's Report: January 2013 : Ending balance . . . $3 , 581 . 29 February 2013 Balance not available at this time . C) Old Business : 1 . Gladys Okada accepted the Fund Raising Committee Chair position . 2 . Dr. Kashiwa ( Neurosurgeon ) will not be able to speak at our meeting in April . He is rescheduled to be the guest speaker in June . D ) New Business : 1 . Tax benefit information for the blind and disabled , call 1 -800-829- 1040 from lam to 7pm . a ) Standard deduction for the blind and over 65 years old . b ) Itemize deduction for medical expenses , including white cane , devices for reading , eye glasses , guide dog , home improvements , anything a doctor prescribe for your condition , c) Disability retirement credit. d ) Caretaker for disabled . e ) If filing a GE tax, the first $2000 of earning is tax deductible . f) Business expense for assistive technology . 2 . The NFB HI State Convention is scheduled on September 14- 15 , 2013 at the Alps Club in Waikiki . 3 . The healthy lunch served today's meeting is courtesy of Laurel Brier for Patricia's going away party who is starting the New Visions Program in Honolulu on March 11 , 2013 . She will not be able to attend the our meeting in April . Aloha Patricia . E ) Guest speaker: Island Skills Gathering Art Cabanilla presented the Victor Reader Stream , IPAL reader and Barcode scanner. Mike Miyashiro showed demo on low vision products and video Magnifiers such as Merlin , DaVinci , . Meeting adjourned at 12 : 20pm . . NFB Kauai Minutes of Meeting Date : April 5 , 2013 Time : 10 : 24am Called to Order by : Betty Bell Attendance : 1 . Elizabeth , Sharry Glass , Laurel , Laura , Ayumi , Geri , Betty , Reginald Gladys , Debbie Agenda : A) Minutes of meeting dated March 1 , 2013 approved as presented . B ) Treasurer's Report : None . Gilmore is not present at this meeting . C ) Guest speakers : Sharry Glass and Elizabeth Villasista Topics : Victor Reader Stream / Multi -media technology iPhone 3G / Smart phone D ) Old Business : 1 . Laurel printed 500 tickets for the Chili Bowl fund raising and were distributed at the meeting . Each ticket is worth $6 . 00 . Charmaine will have beef and vegie chili bowl available for distribution . Pickup is scheduled on May 13 , 14 and 15 from 9am to 1pm . 2 . Gilmore will be setting up a table at Walmart to sell more tickets . Members are asked to volunteer and sign -up with Gladys . The times are 9am to 11 am , 11 am to 1 pm and 1 pm to 3pm on May 10 , 2013 . E ) New Business : 1 . Betty talked about her Easy Speak Computer. 2 . Patricia 's apartment phone number in Honolulu is (808 ) 537- 1657 . The apartment phones cannot be used for long distance calls but is able to receive long distance calls . Meeting adjourned at 11 : 50am .