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Minutes for HB2180 - Committee on Energy, Utilities and Telecommunications
Short Title
Establishing the blind information access act to require the state library to provide on-demand information access services to persons who are blind, visually impaired, deafblind or print disabled.
Minutes Content for Thu, Jan 29, 2026
Chairman Delperdang opened the hearing on HB2180.
Nick Myers, Office of Revisor of Statutes, provided an overview of the bill. (Attachment1) Mr. Myers responded to questions from the committee members.
Proponent:
Mary Ware, Former Kansas Senator (Attachment2) who testified in support of the bill that would help thousands of Kansans, the blind, deaf-blind, visually impaired and print impaired. She added the past 3 years the access was funded through a proviso at the end of session, this bill would provide reliable, permanent funding.
Tom Page, National Federation of the Blind (NFB) of Kansas (Attachment3) who testified in support of the bill stating the blind, low vision, deaf-blind Kansans have been able to access news and information sources in audio, large print and braille through a telephone based library service called 'NFB-Newsline'. The service had been funded in a variety of ways over the years, primarily by the Kansas National Federation of the Blind affiliate and by grants and corporate sponsorship. He added the Newsline program also provides up to date weather information by zip code and is the only resource available to the deaf blind community.
Rob Tabor, Newsline coordinator (Attachment4) testified in support of the bill adding NFB-Newsline launched as a dial-up audio information service in 1995 and continues to produce an unprecedented level of access to printed newspapers and periodicals for blind and print-disabled people throughout Kansas and the nation. He added since then Newsline has expanded in to a robust audio information service accessed by telephone dial-up, Microsoft, Apple and Android Tablet PCs and mobile apps for iOS and Android Devices.
Susan Stanzel, Private Citizen (Attachment5) testified in support of the bill that would be important to her and many other blind and print-impaired Kansans that rely on Newsline for timely information on weather, reading local news paper and favorite magazines.
Jody Mulik, Private Citizen (Attachment6) testified in support of the bill and uses Newsline to read the local newspaper.
Neutral:
Steve Garrett, Kansas Corporation Commission (Attachment7) who testified as neutral on the bill that would require the State Librarian to contract with an organization to deliver on-demand information access services to persons who are blind, visually impaired, deaf-blind, print disabled or who has another disability. He added the funds for the blind information access services would come from the Kansas Universal Service Fund, (KUSF) and is a policy decision for the legislature.
Conferees responded to questions from the committee members.
WRITTEN ONLY TESTIMONY:
Susan E. Tabor, Private Citizen (Attachment8)
Sharon Luka, Private Citizen (Attachment9)
Ray C. Walling, State Librarian (Attachment10)
Chairman Delperdang closed the hearing on HB2180.
