DA 19-793
Released:  August 21, 2019

THE CONSUMER AND GOVERNMENTAL AFFAIRS BUREAU SEEKS COMMENT ON THE COMMISSION’S POLICIES AND PRACTICES TO ENSURE COMPLIANCE WITH SECTION 504 OF THE REHABILITATION ACT OF 1973

CG Docket No. 10-162

PLEADING CYCLE ESTABLISHED
Comments Due:  October 21, 2019
The Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau (Bureau) hereby initiates a review of the Commission’s policies and practices under Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act of 1973 (Section 504). See 29 U.S.C. § 794.
  Section 504 requires federal agencies to make their programs and activities accessible to people with disabilities.  This Notice seeks comment on the Commission’s practices and procedures to ensure accessibility of its programs and activities. 47 CFR § 1.1810.  
 

The Commission’s rules mandate that it conduct a review of its current Section 504 policies and practices in light of advances in relevant technology and achievability every three years, and that it regularly update its Section 504 Handbook. See 47 CFR § 1.1805; Federal Communications Commission Section 504 Programs & Activities Accessibility Handbook (Section 504 Handbook).  The Section 504 Handbook is available in Word and PDF at https://www.fcc.gov/general/section-504-handbook. 
  The Section 504 Handbook contains guidance on the provision of accommodations for Commission programs and activities, procedures for reasonable accommodations, and related information about accessibility. 

The Bureau seeks comment on the Section 504 Handbook and on the overall accessibility of the Commission’s activities and programs.  Overall accessibility includes the availability of sign language interpreters, physical accessibility of buildings and meeting spaces, documents in alternate formats, assistive listening devices, Communication Access Realtime Translation (CART), captioning, and other forms of reasonable accommodation needed for access to Commission programs and activities. See generally Section 504 Handbook.
  

The Commission will carefully review all received comments in order to maintain appropriate practices and procedures to ensure that its programs and activities are accessible to individuals with disabilities.  

Comments regarding the Commission’s regulations about accessibility on other matters (e.g., televised video programming, telecommunications relay service, or emergency access) should be directed to their respective dockets. 

Filing Requirements.  Interested parties may file comments on or before the date indicated on the first page of this document. 47 CFR §§ 1.405, 1.419.  Because October 20, 2019, which is 60 days after the date of this release, falls on a Sunday, the comment due date is October 21, 2019.
  All filings must reference CG Docket No. 10-162.  
· Electronic Filers:  Comments may be filed electronically using the Internet by accessing the Commission’s Electronic Comment Filing System (ECFS):  https://www.fcc.gov/ecfs/. See Electronic Filing of Documents in Rulemaking Proceedings, 63 FR 24121 (1998).
  
· Paper Filers:  Parties who choose to file by paper must file an original and one copy of each filing.
· Filings can be sent by hand or messenger delivery, by commercial overnight courier, or by first-class or overnight U.S. Postal Service mail.  All filings must be addressed to the Commission’s Secretary, Office of the Secretary, Federal Communications Commission.
o All hand-delivered or messenger-delivered paper filings for the Commission’s Secretary must be delivered to FCC Headquarters at 445 12th Street, SW, Room TW-A325, Washington, DC 20554.  The filing hours are 8:00 a.m. to 7:00 p.m.  All hand deliveries must be held together with rubber bands or fasteners.  Any envelopes and boxes must be disposed of before entering the building.
o Commercial overnight mail (other than U.S. Postal Service Express Mail and Priority Mail) must be sent to 9050 Junction Drive, Annapolis Junction, MD 20701.
o U.S. Postal Service first-class, Express, and Priority mail must be addressed to 445 12th Street, SW, Washington DC  20554.
People with Disabilities.  To request materials in accessible formats for people with disabilities (braille, large print, electronic files, audio format), send an e-mail to FCC504@fcc.gov or call the Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau at (202) 418-0530 (voice), (202) 418-0432 (TTY).

Additional Information.  For further information, please contact Gerard Williams, Consumer and Governmental Affairs Bureau, Section 504 Compliance Officer, at (202) 418-1505 (voice) or e-mail at Gerard.Williams@fcc.gov.   


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