[Federal Register Volume 77, Number 49 (Tuesday, March 13, 2012)]
[Proposed Rules]
[Pages 14706-14707]
From the Federal Register Online via the Government Publishing Office [www.gpo.gov]
[FR Doc No: 2012-5964]


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ARCHITECTURAL AND TRANSPORTATION BARRIERS COMPLIANCE BOARD

36 CFR Part 1195

[Docket No. ATBCB-2012-0003]
RIN 3014-AA40


Medical Diagnostic Equipment Accessibility Standards

AGENCY: Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board.

ACTION: Notice of Intent to establish advisory committee.

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SUMMARY: The Architectural and Transportation Barriers Compliance Board 
(Access Board) announces its intent to establish an advisory committee 
to advise the Board on matters addressed in the notice of proposed 
rulemaking (NPRM) published in the February 9, 2012 edition of the 
Federal Register, 77 FR 6916, on accessibility standards for medical 
diagnostic equipment and issues raised in the public comments on the 
NPRM. The Access Board requests applications from interested 
organizations for representatives to serve on the advisory committee.

[[Page 14707]]


DATES: Submit applications by April 27, 2012.

ADDRESSES: Submit applications by any of the following methods:
     Mail or Hand Delivery/Courier: Office of Technical and 
Information Services, Architectural and Transportation Barriers 
Compliance Board, 1331 F Street NW., suite 1000, Washington, DC 20004-
1111.
     Fax: 202-272-0081.
     Email: board.gov">pace@access-board.gov.

FOR FURTHER INFORMATION CONTACT: Rex Pace, Office of Technical and 
Information Services, Architectural and Transportation Barriers 
Compliance Board, 1331 F Street NW., suite 1000, Washington, DC 20004-
1111. Telephone: (202) 272-0023 (Voice) or (202) 272-0052 (TTY). Email 
address: board.gov">pace@access-board.gov.

SUPPLEMENTARY INFORMATION: Section 510 of the Rehabilitation Act (29 
U.S.C. 794f) requires the Access Board to issue accessibility standards 
for medical diagnostic equipment, in consultation with the Commissioner 
of the Food and Drug Administration. The Access Board published an NPRM 
in the February 9, 2012 edition of the Federal Register, 77 FR 6916, 
proposing the accessibility standards. The proposed standards contain 
minimum technical criteria to ensure that medical diagnostic equipment, 
including examination tables, examination chairs, weight scales, 
mammography equipment, and other imaging equipment used by health care 
providers for diagnostic purposes are accessible to and usable by 
individuals with disabilities. The proposed standards are intended to 
ensure, to the maximum extent possible, independent entry to, use of, 
and exit from such equipment by individuals with disabilities. The 
proposed standards do not impose any mandatory requirements on health 
care providers or medical device manufacturers. However, other agencies 
may issue regulations or adopt policies that require health care 
providers subject to the agency's jurisdiction to acquire accessible 
medical diagnostic equipment that conforms to the standards. The NPRM 
and information related to the proposed standards are available on the 
Access Board's Web site at: http://www.access-board.gov/medical-equipment.htm.
    At its January 11, 2012 meeting, the Access Board voted to form an 
advisory committee (Committee) to advise the Board on matters addressed 
in the NPRM. The Committee will make recommendations to the Access 
Board on the technical criteria proposed in the NPRM and issues raised 
in public comments on the NPRM, including responses to the questions in 
the NPRM. The comment period on the NPRM ends on June 8, 2012. The 
Access Board will conduct a preliminary analysis of the public comments 
and plans to schedule the first meeting of the Committee in September 
2012. The Committee is expected to hold four meetings and present a 
report with its recommendations to the Access Board within two months 
of the Committee's first meeting.
    The Access Board requests applications for representatives of the 
following interests for membership on the Committee:
     Medical device manufacturers;
     Health care providers;
     Standards setting organizations;
     Organizations representing individuals with disabilities;
     Federal agencies; and
     Other organizations affected by the proposed standards.
    The number of Committee members will be limited so that the 
Committee's work can be accomplished effectively. The Committee will be 
balanced in terms of interests represented. The Access Board encourages 
organizations with similar interests to submit a single application to 
represent their interests. Although the Committee will be limited in 
size, there will be opportunities for the public to present information 
to the Committee and to comment at each Committee meeting. Federally 
registered lobbyists may not be appointed to the Committee, pursuant to 
Presidential Memorandum dated June 18, 2010, entitled ``Lobbyists on 
Agency Boards and Commissions'' (http://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/presidential-memorandum-lobbyists-agency-boards-and-commissions).
    Applications should be sent to the Access Board at the address 
listed at the beginning of this notice. There is no specific 
application form. The application should include the following 
information:
     Name of the organization;
     Interests represented by the organization;
     Person who will represent the organization and an 
alternate, and the title, address, telephone number, and email address 
for the representative and alternate;
     Description of the representative's qualifications, 
including engineering, technical, and design expertise; knowledge of 
making medical diagnostic equipment accessible to individuals with 
disabilities; or other expertise related to the rulemaking; and
     Certification that the representative and alternate are 
not federally registered lobbyists.
    Committee members will not be compensated for their service. The 
Access Board may, at its discretion, pay travel expenses for a limited 
number of persons who would otherwise be unable to participate on the 
Committee. Committee members will serve as representatives of their 
organizations, not as individuals. Committee members will not be 
considered special government employees and will not be required to 
file confidential financial disclosure reports.
    After the applications have been reviewed, the Access Board will 
publish a notice in the Federal Register announcing the appointment of 
Committee members and the first meeting of the Committee. The Committee 
will operate in accordance with the Federal Advisory Committee Act, 5 
U.S.C. app 2. All Committee meetings will be held at the Access Board's 
office in Washington, DC. Each meeting will be open to the public. A 
notice of each meeting will be published in the Federal Register at 
least 15 days in advance of the meeting. Records will be kept of each 
meeting and made available for public inspection.

David Capozzi,
Executive Director.
[FR Doc. 2012-5964 Filed 3-12-12; 8:45 am]
BILLING CODE 8150-01-P