But let me back up a bit. Although we typically think about the summer as being “the slow time,” the APA has been busy. We have been monitoring the federal effort to remove accessibility standards from their rules and offering comments about our dissatisfaction with that decision. As a result, there is a pause in that action for now. While we can’t claim full credit for that, the APA was a contributing voice, and I feel certain that we played a part.

We’ve also been in discussions with the Texas Department of Licensing & Regulation (TDLR) about the current state of affairs regarding proper project registration. As our Registered Accessibility Specialists (RAS) are aware, the process is more complicated than it has been, and there have been some challenges along the way. We are hoping that these conversations will lead to better enforcement and a clearer, more efficient process.

Then there’s the new APA website with Forum pages containing thoughtful questions and comments on a number of topics. This is where you can ask questions and get answers. It’s provided to help you in your accessibility work, dealing with topics from obscure code requirements to help with how to file something, or even employment-related questions.

And there’s more. But I’ll let you read about that in the rest of the articles. What I’m trying to say is that your organization has been busy trying to proactively and reactively support the needs and concerns of our members. These are efforts that can be attempted separately as individuals but can have a greater impact when we work together as a unified organization.

I’ll end with this thought. This is your organization. It is working for you and for your needs and concerns. If there is something that you are concerned about, let us know. You never know whether there may be a hundred other people who have the same concern. We’re here for you.

Oh, and don't forget to sign up for the Fall Webinar.