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SB 1965

OMA-ACCESSIBILITY

104th Regular Session Introduced by Cristina Castro

SB1965 requires the Public Access Counselor to review and fix electronic Open Meetings Act training for accessibility and establish a helpline to assist disabled users.

Rule 3-9(a) / Re-referred to Assignments
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Bill Summary · SB 1965

Summary — SB1965 (OMA‑ACCESSIBILITY)

  • Bill number: SB 1965
  • Short title: OMA‑ACCESSIBILITY
  • Sponsor: Sen. Cristina Castro
  • Introduced: March 5, 2025
  • Statute amended: Open Meetings Act, Section 1.05 (5 ILCS 120/1.05)
  • Current status (as of document): Rule 3‑9(a) / Re‑referred to Assignments (6/2/2025)

Purpose

SB1965 amends the Open Meetings Act training provisions to require that the Public Access Counselor (PAC) ensure electronic training is accessible under the Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act and associated rules. It also requires the PAC to establish an accessibility helpline to assist individuals who cannot independently register for or complete required electronic training.

Key provisions and changes

  • Accessibility review

    • The PAC must complete an accessibility review of the electronic training curriculum (including registration pages) to determine compliance with the Illinois Information Technology Accessibility Act and its rules.
    • If any portion is non‑compliant, the PAC must, within 30 days of completing the review, take steps (including contracting with third parties) to bring the training into compliance.

  • Accessibility helpline

    • The PAC must establish an accessibility helpline within 180 days of the effective date of this amendatory Act.
    • The helpline must be available for live calls; if 24/7 live staffing is infeasible, it must be able to return calls within 3 calendar days.
    • The helpline must assist individuals who, due to disability or other reasons, cannot independently register for or complete the electronic training without an undue burden.
    • Assistance can include, with the individual’s express permission, remote desktop access to help complete the training.

  • Existing training framework preserved

    • The bill retains the Open Meetings Act’s existing requirements that public bodies designate employees/officers/members to receive training, that members complete an electronic training curriculum developed by the PAC, and that certificates of completion be filed with the public body.
    • Existing deadlines (e.g., new members must complete training within 90 days of taking office or assuming duties) remain in place.

Who is affected

  • Public Access Counselor — new duties to perform accessibility reviews, remediate non‑compliance, and operate the helpline.
  • Public bodies (state/local boards, commissions, etc.) and their designated employees, officers, and members — must continue to complete required electronic training; will benefit from improved accessible training.
  • Individuals with disabilities or others who have difficulty using electronic training — will have a helpline to assist with registration and completion.
  • Potential third‑party vendors — may be contracted to remediate or provide accessible training services.

Procedural/timeline notes

  • PAC must act quickly: 30 days after review to begin remediation; helpline operational within 180 days of the amendatory Act’s effective date.
  • The bill was introduced Feb–Mar 2025 and moved through several committee actions in spring 2025; most recent procedural entry shows re‑referral to Assignments on 6/2/2025.

Potential impacts

  • Improves accessibility of mandatory public‑body training, reducing barriers for participants with disabilities.
  • May require additional PAC resources or contracting budget to perform reviews, make technical fixes, and staff/operate the helpline.
  • Likely reduces legal/compliance risk for public bodies by making training more broadly accessible.

This summary focuses on the accessibility additions (new subsection (a‑2)) to the Open Meetings Act’s training section; other training requirements in Section 1.05 largely remain unchanged.

Compiled from official sources — confirm details with the bill’s official record.

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