Section 6-1-401 - Legislative intent(1) It is the intent of the general assembly to encourage and promote independent living and self-sufficiency for persons with disabilities and to reduce their need to rely on publicly funded supports. Of an estimated forty-nine million Americans with disabilities, approximately seventy percent of them are unemployed or underemployed. Having safe, reliable assistive technology represents a most essential need given the many barriers to independent living and self-sufficiency people with disabilities face.(2) The goal of meeting this essential need can be furthered by assuring that assistive technology provided to persons with disabilities is of quality and is covered by adequate warranties to maintain their assistive technology in proper working condition, to assure availability of appropriate loaner replacement assistive technology while their own is being repaired, and to encourage manufacturers and dealers to cooperatively pool assistive technology resources for loaner purposes to assure availability without an undue burden.(3) The general assembly finds and declares it is in the state's best interest to adopt this part 4.L. 97: Entire part added, p. 604, § 1, effective July 1.