In May 2002, the American Council of the Blind (ACB) and two visually impaired individuals filed a complaint in the U.S. District Court for the District of Columbia alleging that the currency of the United States violates the rights of the blind and visually impaired because they could not denominate United States paper currency.  In October 2008, the District Court ruled that the Department of the Treasury must provide meaningful access to U.S. currency for blind and other visually impaired persons in the next currency redesign.  Read the American Council for the Blind court order injunction (filed October 3, 2008).

Meaningful Access Recommendations Approved by the Secretary

On May 31, 2011, Secretary of the Treasury Timothy F. Geithner approved the methods that the Department of the Treasury will use to provide blind and visually impaired individuals with meaningful access to U.S. currency. The Secretary approved that BEP will implement the following accommodations:

• Tactile Feature: Adding a raised tactile feature to U.S. currency unique to each U.S. Federal Reserve note that it may lawfully change¹, which will provide users with a means of identifying each denomination via touch.  BEP will consult with currency stakeholders at all stages of the process.
• High Contrast Numerals: Continuing the program of adding large high contrast numerals and different colors to each denomination that it is permitted by law to alter. BEP will consult with currency stakeholders at all stages of the process.
• Currency Reader Program: Implementing a supplemental currency reader distribution program for blind and visually impaired U.S. citizens and those legally residing in the U.S.

The new note features will be introduced together in the next currency redesign following the redesigned $100 note.  BEP intends to implement the currency reader program as soon as possible to provide some immediate relief to the blind and visually impaired population, while addressing the transition that will occur during the co-circulation of notes with and without tactile and high contrast features. 

¹Currently, U.S. law prohibits any changes to the $1 Federal Reserve note.

As more information is available regarding progress in creating meaningful access to U.S. currency, it will be posted on this website.

Currency Reader Program Information

BEP has issued a Request for Information (RFI) to obtain feedback from potential contract support providers about capabilities and experience they could offer to support the BEP’s currency reader program, whereby the BEP would provide currency readers, free of charge, to eligible blind and visually impaired individuals.  The RFI, which asks respondents to submit a white paper, (reference No. BEP-RFI-12-ACCESSSUPPORT) closed on October 3, 2012, at 2 PM EST.

An earlier RFI (reference No. 120201) to obtain information from currency reader device manufacturers and resellers was issued for 30 days and closed on July 31, 2012, at 2 PM EST.

Currency Identification Mobile Applications

Advances in technology have enabled a quick and convenient means for blind and visually impaired individuals to determine a note’s denomination by using their personal mobile devices. 

BEP Participation at Stakeholder Organization Meetings and Conventions

In 2012, BEP representatives attended:

• International Technology & Persons with Disabilities (CSUN) Conference, San Diego, CA (March 2012)
• National Council of State Agencies for the Blind (NCSAB) Spring Conference, Bethesda, MD (April 2012)
• Perkins School for the Blind Annual Board Meeting, Boston, MA (April 2012)
• National Federation of the Blind (NFB) Summer Convention, Dallas, TX (July 2012)
• American Council of the Blind (ACB) Summer Convention, Louisville, KY (July 2012)
• Association for Education and Rehabilitation of the Blind and Visually Impaired (AER) International Conference, Bellevue, WA (July 2012)
• Blinded Veterans Association (BVA), Galveston, TX (August 2012)
• 34^th Annual State Conference, American Council of the Blind, Dallas, TX (September 2012)
• Meta Payment Systems (MetaPay) Annual Conference, Harrisonburg, VA (September 2012)

Visual Impairment Study and Process to Create Meaningful Access to U.S. Currency

A comprehensive study analyzing options for the blind and visually impaired community to denominate U.S. currency was submitted to BEP in July 2009. The study's findings were considered by BEP in evaluating potential accommodations as to the best method(s) for allowing those who are blind and visually impaired to denominate U.S. paper currency.

On May 20, 2010, the Department of the Treasury and BEP issued a notice in the Federal Register. The purposes of the notice was to inform the public of the features that BEP intends to propose to the Secretary of the Treasury to accommodate people who are blind and visually impaired in denominating U.S. currency and to solicit public comment on the proposed accommodations. The public comment period closed on August 18, 2010. Comments may still be viewed at www.regulations.gov.

On June 22, 2010, as part of the public comment process, BEP hosted two open public forums simultaneously at the Washington, DC and Fort Worth, TX facilities. Transcripts from these forums are available to view at www.regulations.gov.

Using findings from the study and feedback from the public, BEP submitted its recommendations to the Secretary of the Treasury.

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