Council debates preventive maintenance frequency, meeting cadence and softened enforcement language for report

The advisory council discussed three interrelated items: preventive maintenance frequency for wheelchairs, whether the council should continue monthly public reporting or consider sunsetting or reducing meeting frequency, and how to word enforcement language in recommendations.

Advocates argued monthly reporting and monthly meetings provide the only plausible accountability mechanism at present and recommended including sunsetting or frequency considerations in every annual report. Industry members said twice-yearly preventive maintenance was impractical and noted manufacturer guidance often recommends annual service; they suggested leaving preventive maintenance at once per year or to the vendor's manufacturer guidance because of fiscal constraints. Several participants urged that any recommendation that would carry a fiscal note be realistic given state budget pressures.

On enforcement, advocates proposed stronger mechanisms to address systemic noncompliance with the 10-business-day repair requirement, including administrative or judicial penalties; after discussion the group agreed to soften and broaden the text to request enforcement authority "where there is persistent systemic noncompliance" without specifying an exact penalty mechanism.

Ending: Committee staff will incorporate revised language reflecting the trade-offs discussed, include a recommendation that future annual reports address meeting frequency and potential sunsetting, and circulate the draft to members ahead of the Google-form voting window.