Bill > H4912

This bill establishes the Accessibility in the Creative Economy (ACE) grant program, a dedicated fund administered by the Office on Disability to support arts, humanities, and interpretive science organizations across the Commonwealth in improving accessibility for people with disabilities. The program aims to fund capital improvements and projects that remove barriers, with a special pilot program for gateway cities and rural communities. A new ACE Commission, composed primarily of individuals with disabilities and advocates, will be formed to advise the Office on Disability on grant criteria, which can include training, consulting services led by the disability community, physical accessibility upgrades like ramps and elevators, and planning for ADA (Americans with Disabilities Act) compliance. Grants will be awarded competitively to organizations within the Commonwealth, considering factors like racial and geographic diversity, and the ACE Commission will report annually on fund expenditures and recipients.

Joint Committee on Children, Families and Persons with Disabilities (Joint)

https://malegislature.gov/Bills/194/H4912