Sen. Chuck Grassley has joined a group of bipartisan senators to introduce legislation to expand access to printed works for the blind and visually impaired. Grassley is co-sponsoring the Marrakesh Treaty Implementation Act with six other legislators to prevent copyright protections from slowing the international exchange of accessible-format media. “Those living with vision or print disabilities should not be left in the dark when seeking accessible copies of published works. This bill is the product of a broad consensus among stakeholders within the publishing, library and print-disabilities communities to encourage the creation and distribution of accessible format works.” Under the Marrakesh Treaty, party nations are required to include exemptions and limitations in their national copyright laws to allow ease of access to individuals with vision impairments. The Senate is expected to consider the treaty in conjunction with the implementation legislation in the near future.
